FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Austin, Texas) – Yesterday, the task force assigned to provide recommendations on the implementation of SB 11 at the University of Texas at Austin issued their final report to President Fenves.

The Campaign to Keep Guns off Campus issued the following statement in connection with the working group’s recommendations on SB 11:

“While we understand the difficulty the task force faced in determining the sensitive areas on campus that should remain gun-free, we were disheartened to see that classrooms were not included as a sensitive area. Our position on SB 11 is that it permits universities to ban firearms in sensitive areas like classrooms. A restriction on carry in classrooms would be a ‘reasonable rule’ that does not ‘have the effect of generally prohibiting license holders from carrying . . . on the campus of the institution.’

Classrooms are an important part of any campus. However, to argue that a ban on guns in classrooms would force individuals to be rendered armless on campus entirely makes a critical assumption about the exact comings and goings of people on campus. It is probably reasonable to assume that some individuals have arranged their class schedules in a way that, under such a policy, would require them to leave their firearms behind. But no one has presented any evidence proving that most individuals who wish to carry would actually be placed in this position. Faculty, staff, and students alike tend to have such diverse schedules that it would be unwise simply to assume this.

We believe that the broad language of SB 11 at least allows universities to take account of the intricacies of their institutions – including the individual behaviors of their community members – in order to come to a reasonable conclusion that classrooms can, and should, remain gun free.”

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ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN TO KEEP GUNS OFF CAMPUS

The Campaign to Keep Guns off Campus was founded in 2008 to urge colleges and universities to band together to oppose the gun lobby’s agenda to push loaded, concealed guns onto college campuses. To date, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and more than 420 colleges and universities in 42 states have joined the Campaign. Follow us on Facebook and on Twitter.

Texas Contact: Julie A. Gavran, Western Director, [email protected] 614-537-6498

National Contact: Andy Pelosi, Executive Director, [email protected] 914-629-6726