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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Faculty and students have expressed concern about the potential impact on the classroom of an upcoming law that will allow people to carry concealed guns inside buildings on Kansas college campuses.
After July 1, 2017, campus buildings in Kansas have to allow concealed carry unless the building has adequate security. But Board of Regents chairman Kenny Wilk said universities won't be installing security at all of their 800-plus buildings.
"There is no way," Wilk said. "It would be cost prohibitive for us to try to put the security that's required in place in each building. That's not practical for us, so we're not going to do it."
Wilk said a possibility is installing security at selective buildings. Some buildings, such as dorms or stadiums, already have some security in place at entrances, which could make them easier to secure more tightly. But he said the Regents will not impose "cookie cutter" mandates on universities.
Michael Williams, incoming KU University Senate president and an associate professor of journalism, told The Lawrence Journal-World (http://bit.ly/1KsOtlF ) there are concerns about the "effect an armed classroom will have on the open expression of ideas from all sides of a discussion."
"Some faculty and students have expressed an unwillingness to be part of a class environment where there may be guns and have stated clearly this will challenge their decision to work or study at KU," Williams said.
Williams said he is more concerned about the possibility of accidental shootings at student housing, or of the increased potential for suicides.
He said the University Senate Executive Committee plans to form a committee to explore options and recommend actions.
Another small student club, the KU Chapter of Young Americans for Liberty, wore empty gun holsters on campus in 2013 in support of concealed carry. Art Hall, School of Business lecturer and executive director of the school's Center for Applied Economics, is the club's faculty sponsor.
Hall said the student group has been loosely organized, and not unanimous on campus concealed carry. He said he was unaware of plans for any events regarding the issue of concealed carry on campus.
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Information from: Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World, http://www.ljworld.com
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