A bill pending in the Wisconsin Legislature would amend current gun laws in order to prevent colleges or universities in the UW System from prohibiting carrying firearms on campuses or in university buildings.

The bill would allow students, university employees and members of the public with permits to carry concealed weapons to do so anywhere on university grounds.

Both Faculty Senate and Student Senate placed the bill on their agendas this week. However, neither senate actually discussed the bill.

An Oct. 27 meeting of the Faculty Senate adjourned abruptly following two hours of budget reduction discussion, and postponed the conceal carry resolution to the next meeting. Following the adjournment, Student Senate President Sydney Bend, who was at the Faculty Senate meeting, said that Student Senate plans on discussing the matter at its next meeting, scheduled for Nov. 2. Bend said the issue did not make it to this week’s meeting.

A resolution on concealed carry was distributed to faculty senate in advance of this week’s meeting. The resolution states, “allowing concealed carry permit holders to bring firearms on university grounds, buildings, or into classrooms threatens the progress of education and the expression of ideas and makes the university less safe.”

The final portion of the resolution urges state legislators to consider campus safety and to vote against any legislation that would allow concealed carry on campus. The resolution also says, “the Faculty Senate at UW-Platteville strongly opposes any bill put forth by the State of Wisconsin that could prohibit universities from banning the carrying of firearms by non-law enforcement officials in any building on our campus.”

Bend said that from what she discussed with student senate members privately, there might be several members in favor of the newly proposed law. She also said that student senate members would gather input from the general student body pertaining to the law, whether in favor or not and present it to faculty senate.

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