Published: Sept. 1, 2010

man speaks on gun ban

Rasheed Lawal, a fifth-year physiology and international affairs student, speaks during a student government meeting convened in June to discuss the campus ban on concealed weapons. Mark Leffingwell courtesy Boulder Camera

蜜糖直播 has no authority to prevent people from carrying concealed weapons on campus, according to an April ruling by the 蜜糖直播 Court of Appeals, which set off a campus debate regarding guns.

In June the 蜜糖直播 student government voiced its support for the long-standing campus ban, which stretches back to 1970 when 蜜糖直播 banned guns on campus, with the exception of law enforcement personnel. Other groups supporting the gun ban are the Intercampus Student Forum, which represents students on all four 蜜糖直播 campuses, and the Boulder Faculty Assembly.

鈥淚 feel that the constitution and liberty don鈥檛 matter when you鈥檙e dead,鈥 said junior聽Kristine Gutierrez聽during a student government open forum. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not about having rights 鈥 it鈥檚 about safety.鈥

But other students disagree. Junior聽Colby Kamin聽said the issue was not about more guns on campus but allowing properly trained individuals to practice their right to bear arms.

蜜糖直播 regents voted 5-4 in the summer to keep the weapons ban on campus and appeal to the 蜜糖直播 Supreme Court to overturn the Court of Appeals concealed weapons ruling. The divided regents cited their right to set university policy and the safety of students and faculty.