Liberty University to consider concealed weapons on campus

By Christa Desrets

Published: October 9, 2008

Liberty University will consider whether to allow concealed weapon permit holders to carry guns on campus at its next board of trustees meeting, Chancellor Jerry Falwell Jr. said Thursday.

If it adopted the policy change, Liberty would become one nearly a dozen colleges nationally to allow concealed weapons on campus, according to Students for Concealed Carry on Campus.

Falwell said he decided to bring the matter before the board for discussion after members of Liberty’s chapter of SCCC requested it.

“We just have a group on campus that’s been promoting that idea, and I really don’t have a good feel for whether our community would support it or not,” Falwell said. “So I just decided to take it to the board.”

Currently the university does not allow those with concealed weapons permits to carry a gun on campus, he said.

The board of trustees has 38 members, including Falwell and his brother Jonathan. The next meeting is in early March.

The body may not make a decision on the issue, Falwell said, but will at least consider it.

“I want to make sure that we look at it long and hard before we make a decision,” he said.

“Between now and the board meeting, we’ll have RAs (resident advisers) talking to students and see what they think about it.”

Falwell also has not formed an opinion on the issue, he said.

Liberty senior Ben Neiman, leader of Liberty’s chapter of SCCC, said the group has more than 300 members, mostly students, staff and faculty.

Nationally, the organization has more than 30,000 members at hundreds of schools.

“These are people who already have their concealed carry permits, and you mingle with them in movie theaters and shopping malls around town anyways,” Neiman said. “We’re just all about our own safety. We realize that campuses are generally safe, but in the off chance that we are threatened, we want to be able to defend ourselves.”

Utah is the only state that does not allow any of its nine public universities to restrict people from carrying concealed weapons on campus.

According to the SCCC, Colorado State University and Blue Ridge Community College in Weyers Cave, Va., are the only other schools that allow concealed carry on campus.

In Virginia, where one must be at least 21 years old to apply for a concealed handgun permit, each college can decide whether to allow guns on campus.

Leading up to the meeting in March, Falwell said board members have much to consider, such as how difficult the process is to get a permit to carry.

He also hopes to ask students and faculty for their opinions, and learn more about the arguments from both sides of the issue.

“I understand all the concern about security, and that’s why I’m even going to mention it to the board,” Falwell said.

“If the board thinks that would enhance security, then it might be something they would be in favor of.”