Students and Faculty share their views about the new Campus Carry Law

Students and Faculty share their views about the new Campus Carry Law

By Ron Silva

On Monday, a few students and faculty at Texas State University voiced their opinions about the new Campus Carry law.

On June 1, 2015 Texas Governor, Greg Abbot, signed the Texas Senate Bill 11 (SB11) also known as “Campus Carry” into law. Campus Carry permits a person with a concealed handgun license to carry a handgun on public colleges and university campuses in Texas. 

Heather C. Galloway, Ph.D., Dean of the Honors College said that Campus Carry might change the way faculty and staff interact with their students.

“I guess my biggest concern that I have is supposedly other universities that have enacted Campus Carry are encouraging their faculty to avoid discussing controversial topics,” Galloway said. “The campus environment does not improve by allowing students to legally carry firearms.”

                                                             
                                   Heather C. Galloway, Ph.D., Dean of the Honors College
                                                               Photo by: Ron Silva
 

Bob Fischer, a Philosophy professor at Texas State University also opposes Campus Carry. Fischer is particularly concerned with the issues Campus Carry may present in the classroom.

“I worry about how Campus Carry will impact the classroom discussion,” Fischer said. “I worry about the way that the presence of fire arms will change our ability to have open discussions about uncomfortable topics.”

                                                               
                                                        Bob Fischer Philosophy professor
                                                                Photo by: Sawyer Stull

Alex Molina, Political Science Major at Texas State University said this is a place of education.

“This is a place of education. We don’t welcome guns here,” Molina said. “If you want to go to a gun range, then that’s cool because that is a place that guns are welcome…not where we want to learn.”

                                                   
                                                                    Alex Molina
                                                            Photo by: Logan Martin

Business Administration Major, E.J. Garza said he is concerned for his safety. “I feel like a gun could land in the hands of the wrong person,” Garza said. “Things can happen in a split second.”

Terry Bertling an adjunct lecturer believes that students carry handguns on campus does not create a good learning environment.                                                           

As someone who teaches, I would rather not have students in my class who carry,” Bertling said. “It does not create a good environment for learning.”

                                                                      Terry Bertling
                                                           Photo by: Morgan Mitchell

Keisha Ray, a professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, said she opposes the new law. 

“I think it may be less safe,” Ray said. “The law will cause students to feel intimidated and not want to share their opinions on controversial subjects if they know that classmates have a weapon.
                   

                                                                         Keisha Ray
                                                             Photo By: Katherine Huerta