Statement from David Moses, WSU general counsel and chair, Weapons Possession Policy Committee
The first stage of the WSU policy drafting process is sharing facts and listening to the concerns and ideas of students, faculty and staff, through constituency senates (Faculty Senate, Unclassified Professionals, University Support Staff and Student Government Association) and open forums. For example, the Faculty Senate meeting today is scheduled to include a weapons policy discussion.
Open forums will be scheduled beginning in mid-April. Details will be published in WSU Today and Shocker Blast. University Police Chief Sara Morris and I will be listening to campus opinion and questions, and working with committee members to shape WSU's policy draft.
Because the exemption ends next year, the Kansas Board of Regents has adopted a weapons possession policy. It can be found at http://www.wichita.edu/weapons.
The policy requires each Regents university to develop and follow its own policies, consistent with state law, for the safe possession, use and storage of such weapons, which the Weapons Possession Policy Committee is studying.
Under the policy, universities can propose that otherwise lawfully possessed concealed handguns will be prohibited in any campus buildings or areas of buildings by provision of adequate security measures, permanent or temporary, at each public entrance to the building or area.
If WSU wants to prohibit concealed carry of weapons anywhere on campus, we need to seek approval from the Board of Regents Governance Committee. Our request must include a list of the buildings and areas of buildings so restricted, the rationale for the restrictions and a description of the adequate security measures to be provided.
Open carry of firearms will still be prohibited on campus.
If you have comments or questions about weapons policy, please fill in the form at http://www.wichita.edu/weaponsfeedback. Your questions and comments will be forwarded to members of the committee.