Texas State Students Weigh in on Campus Carry Law

By Annalise Hughes

On Monday afternoon, students of Texas State University were asked about their opinions on Campus Carry, and whether they felt the law would be beneficial or detrimental.

Texas Senate Bill 11 (SB11), also commonly known as “Campus Carry”, is the law enabling students to carry a concealed weapon on campus for safety purposes. Most of the students interviewed expressed their concerns with the allowance of guns on their college campus, feeling that this law may escalate violence rather than prevent it.

Carlos Flores
Photo by: Annalise Hughes

Carlos Flores, a 20-year-old English student opposes the law, saying that the excuse of needing weapons to protect ourselves is a poor argument. He mentioned how crimes in many European countries have gone down because of their laws on banning weapons.

“It would be completely unnecessary since we have UPD here," Flores said. "We already have people in charge in case something happens.” 

Alex Molina
Photo by: Logan Martin

Political science major, Alex Molina, 19, also stands in opposition. “If you want to go to a gun range, then that’s cool because that is a place where guns are welcome… not where we want to learn.” He thinks the law would be more of an invitation for people to bring guns on campus.

“This is a place of education, we don’t welcome guns here,” Molina said. “How am I to know that the person carrying a weapon is actually a student? Anyone could put a backpack on, come to campus and appear as a student.”

Rachel Brownlee
Photo by: Dylan Anguiano

Rachel Brownlee, 27, human nutrition major, also thinks it would be a bad idea for students to carry a gun while on campus. Many students are in a new situation for the first time and being put in a stressful situation can make people do crazy things, she said.

“College is a time when people kind of have a chance to make bad decisions and good decisions,” said Brownlee. “When you put lethal weapons in the mix, it just doesn’t seem like a good thing to bring to the table.”

Melanie Bush
Photo by: Erik Rodriguez

Melanie Bush, 23, shared her stance particularly from a woman’s point of view. The only part of campus carry she would support is mostly for women who are on campus late at night, she said.

“I’m hoping to see assaults on where men jump women go down,” Bush said. Having a late class herself, she says she can understand a situation where during an assault, having a gun would be necessary.

Computer science student Jesse Miara, 22, is for the law, partially, due to the fact that it is a constitutional right under the 2nd amendment.

Jesse Miara
Photo by: Clayton Kolavo

“I don’t think there is a need,” Miara said, “but I just feel that it’s a right that deserves to be exercised.” He believes the responses of students will be mixed, evenly divided.

Sharing a similar viewpoint was 20-year-old business marketing major, Michael Pearce. He said there are good and bad sides to campus carry.

Michael Pearce
Photo by: Cameron Goodall

“I’m against it because I feel like you’re not gonna ask everyone on campus, ‘hey do you have your license for that gun?’” Pearce said.

He said the reason he would be for it is because responsible citizens usually know how to carry weapons so it would be a good thing if there was someone like this who would be able to handle the situation if it were to ever get to that point.

Campus Carry is to go into effect at Texas State in the fall semester on August 1, 2016.

Guns on Campus

By Katherine Huerta

Campus carry has become a prominent issue due to the abundant school shootings around the nation. 

Photo of Rachel Brownlee
Photo by Dylan Anguiano 

KTSW radio station said, Texas State University, along with other public universities in the state of Texas, will be permitted to have concealed campus carry as of August 1. However, there were still recommendations that the Texas State Task Force put in the hands of students and residents through the use of forums. 

In these forums students like, Human Nutrition major, Rachel Brownlee, were able to state their opinions on campus carry. 

“College is very stressful and on one hand students are able to explore new ways to be in a relationship with other people, new freedom, power over their own life,” Brownlee said. “They’re in this stressful situation that can make people do crazy things. “ 

According to NationalConference of State Legislatures, the shooting in Virginia Tech University in 2007 was where the debate over guns on campus sparked. This shooting was seen as one of the most deadly shootings on campus. The aftermath of this event was self-evident that rules regarding campus carry had to be set.

Photo of Keisha Ray
Photo by Katherine Huerta

As the Texas Tribune states, Richard Benson, was a professor at Virginia Tech University when the shooting occurred and is now in the process of becoming the president of University of Texas at Dallas. He is now facing the newly approved laws of campus carry and hopes that the events of Virginia Tech University will not repeat.

Professors also have very strong opinions regarding campus carry. They are especially concerned over the safety of students when it comes to discussing controversial topics.

“Coming out of it from an instructor’s point of view, to think about maybe talking about touchy subjects that students might get upset at and then they have a weapon, you know it may be intimidating for students to talk about topics if they know that their classmates have a weapon,” said

Photo of Aron Martinez
Photo by Griselda Benitez

Keisha Ray, professor at University of Texas Health Science at Houston.

There are students, like English Major, Aron Martinez, who are immensely concerned about going to class knowing other students could be in possession of a gun.

“It is scary being in big classrooms not knowing who has a gun. You don’t know what people are capable of,” Martinez said.

Texas State Campus Carry

Campus Carry Laws Coming Soon to Texas State
By Cameron Eklund

Texas State University students have been interviewed to see their reactions to the new laws regarding campus carry.

The campus carry law that will come into effect August 2016 will allow people to carry a concealed weapon with a handgun license on Texas State University property. This date is fast approaching, and a number of students were interviewed to see their reactions to this law. Many students have expressed feeling some uncertainty, while others fully support it.

Arte Vega
Photo by Gabrielle Gibson

"I support it," Arte Vega said. When asked why, Vega responded "Because of course the second amendment. The right to bear arms."

Not everyone is as supportive of campus carry as Vega is. Many students feel even more unsafe than before because they claim we do not know what goes on in the minds of everyone who owns a gun.

Alex Molina
Photo by Logan Martin

"I don't know the mind set of a student carrying a gun," Alex Molina said, sophomore Political Science major. "How am I to know that the person carrying a weapon is actually a student. Anyone could put a backpack on, come to campus and appear as a student. I can't tell who is a student and who is not." 

Rachel Brownlee
Photo by Dylan Anguiano

Rachel Brownlee, 27 year old Human Nutrition major, is very concerned for these new laws to come into effect and says that college is way too stressful of a time to bring weapons into the mix.

 "It's unsafe because of the emotional aspect, but also, I don't trust any person that has a handgun even though a lot of people train, they go to the shooting range, maybe they have used guns their whole life. In a situation, someone who really in an emergency situation may not be able to use it properly," Brownlee said.

Students and faculty have voiced their concerns over this topic and have said there might be a change in classroom dynamic now that guns are added into the picture.

"I worry about the impact on classroom discussion, I worry about the way that the presence of fire arms changes our ability to have open discussions about uncomfortable topics," Bob Fischer said, Professor of Philosophy.

Bob Fischer
Photo by Sawyer Stull 

When asked who they think the new gun laws will impact the most, Freshman Mandy Espinoza said "The professors. The gun could go off in the large lecture rooms."

Mandy Espinoza
Photo by Kelsey Maxfield

"There're good and bad sides to it," Michael Pearce said, 20 year old Business Marketing major. "I'm against it because I feel like you're not gonna ask everyone on campus, 'Hey do you have your license for that gun?' so it kind of scares me. I’m for it because responsible citizens usually know how to carry weapons so if there's a responsible person that can handle the situation, it’s a good thing."

Michael Pearce
Photo by Cameron Goodall 

After numerous interviews with faculty and students, it is very evident that there are many different views on campus carry.

Texas State Faces Campus Carry Conundrum

By Griselda Benitez

Faculty and students across campus gave their opinions on Campus Carry to be in effect in the fall.

Texas Senate Bill 11 (SB11), referred to as "Campus Carry," will allow people to carry a concealed weapon with a concealed handgun license on public university grounds.

Michael Pearce
Photo by Cameron Goodall 

Students said that Texas State is a safe campus and does not require people to carry weapons because of the security already established.

“We have our police on campus right by The Quad, and they and SMPD tend to respond to the situation pretty fast,” Michael Pearce, business marketing major, said. “On campus cops seem to be doing the job well.”

Rachel Brownlee
Photo by Dylan Anguiano

Rachel Brownlee, human nutrition graduate student, feels unsafe when she thinks of how guns could be handled in an emergency situation.

“Even police, people who are trained and use them on a regular basis, who are supposed to know how to use them, make mistakes,” Brownlee said.

According to students and faculty, the idea of guns being in classrooms does not make them feel safe.

Aron Martinez
Photo by Griselda Benitez

Aron Martinez, English freshman, said he is scared of being in classrooms, especially large lecture classes because anyone can have a gun.

Hakeer Kaymore
Photo by Bailey Savage

“You don’t know what people are capable of,” Martinez said. “You don’t know who has one. The fear level rises.”

Students and faculty said that discussions will change with the addition of guns in the classrooms.

Hakeer Kaymore, business management major, said, “Students in class may feel more scared to speak up because of other people’s reactions.”

Bob Fischer
Photo by Sawyer Stull

Bob Fischer, philosophy professor, said, “I worry about the way that the presence of fire arms changes our ability to have open discussions about uncomfortable topics.”

Dean of the Honors College, Heather C. Galloway, Ph.D., said, “That’s probably my biggest concern. That it might change how we interact with students and how we treat the students.”

Heather C. Galloway, Ph.D.
Photo by Ron Silva

After interviewing students and faculty it is clear to see that even though the bill is set in place for personal safety, it does not make everyone comfortable.

Campus Carry Law at Texas State University has Members Shooting Blanks on the Future Enviroment of the Campus

By Erik Rodriguez

Heather C. Galloway outside Honors College

Courtesy of  Ron Silva

Members of campus opposed to the campus carry law lack need for it, yet others see it as a way to uphold their rights.

Beginning August 1, 2016 Texas senate Bill 11 (SB 11) often mentioned as “Campus Carry” will take effect at Texas State University. With the date approaching, many campus members are feeling an uncertainty over the future environment of the campus.
Heather C. Galloway, Dean of Honors College at Texas State University, is opposed to the campus carry law, and said she had reason to believe that other universities that have enacted Campus Carry are encouraging faculty to avoid discussing controversial topics.


“The campus environment does not improve by allowing students to legally carry firearms” she said. “My biggest concern is that it might change how we interact with students.”

Campus Carry Opposer Terry Bertling is an adjunct lecturer at Texas State University. Bertling believes that the option private universities have on opting out of this law should be afforded to public universities as well.

“As someone who teaches, I’d rather not have students who carry” she said. “It doesn’t create a good environment for learning.”

Faculty members aren’t the only ones uncertain of the effects of Campus Carry, Texas State students also feel uncertain over the mixing of the school system and gun laws.

Hakeer Kaymore, Business Management major at Texas State University, opposes Campus Carry. She said students will feel more scared to speak up because of other people’s reactions.

Alex Molina, Political Science Major at Texas State University, strongly opposes Campus Carry.

“This is a place of education, we don't welcome guns here” He said. “We should separate both of those things.”

Melanie Bush who is a Texas State student doesn’t see the need for carrying a gun on campus.

“Some people feel more powerful and stronger when they have a weapon, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to fix anything,” she said.

Although there is a majority of anti-carry perspectives made up of both faculty and students, a portion of dissent does appear from those who are in the middle of this debate.

Jesse Miara, Computer Science Major at Texas State, is partially for Campus Carry. He said it’s a constitutional right that deserves to be exercised.



Photo of Terry Bertling

Courtesy of Morgan Mitchell

Photo of Hakeer Kaymore

Courtesy of Bailey Savage

Photo of Alex Molina

Courtesy of Logan Martin

Photo of Melanie Bush

Photo by Erik Rodriguez





Photo of Jesse Miara

Courtesy of Clayton Kolavo