University of Arkansas System President Donald Bobbitt has recommended that the board of trustees opts out of a new state law that would allow faculty and staff members to carry concealed handguns on its 11 campuses.
The board will vote on a resolution in response to the law - Act 226 of 2013 - when it meets Thursday in Stuttgart.
The law allows full-time trained and licensed faculty and staff members at the state’s colleges and universities to carry concealed handguns unless an institution’s governing board adopts a policy expressly disallowing it. Boards must renew those policies annually.
So far, many boards - including those representing the University of Central Arkansas in Conway and Henderson State University in Arkadelphia - have opted out of the new law, and no campus leaders have publicly said they will recommend allowing the carrying of handguns.
“The Chancellors and a number of faculty and staff at the University of Arkansas System institutions, including campus public safety officers” have said the board should opt out of the new law, Bobbitt wrote in a recommendation to trustees.
“I note the Boards of several other institutions in the State have adopted similar resolutions,” he wrote.
Student government leaders, faculty senate members and campus leaders from around the state expressed concerns about the law during the legislative session, citing concerns such as liability if a gun is lost or stolen.
Supporters of the law, including lead sponsor Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville, said it will help protect people on the campuses.
Armed staff members would be a deterrent to violent criminals and could prevent a mass shooting, such as rampages at Virginia Tech and other universities in recent years, Collins told colleagues when they considered the law.
Act 226 was signed into law March 1 and will take effect 90 days from that date, according to the Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Research.
Charles Welch, president of the Arkansas State University System, will recommend to its board of trustees Thursday that its campuses - Arkansas State University-Jonesboro and three community colleges - opt out of the law.
The board of trustees for South Arkansas Community College, a two-year school in El Dorado, voted Tuesday to opt out of the law.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 11 on 05/22/2013