University Business - May 2008 - (Page 14)

EDITOR’S NOTE Should Students Be Armed? N MIDAPRIL, AMONG THE HUNDREDS OF articles that recognized the one-year anniversary of the Virginia Tech tragedy, one particular headline on CNN’s website caught my attention. “Students Want Chance to Defend Themselves,” it read. The story was about a group called Students for Concealed Carry on Campus that originated last year at the University of Cincinnati. The group’s members packing citizens is a specious argument to say the least. want the right to carry concealed weapons on campus, with In the CNN piece, University of Cincinnati Police Chief the objective of defending themselves and others against a vio- Gene Ferrara said, “I don’t think the answer to bullets flying is lent attack. The group planned a protest later in the month to send more bullets flying.” in which students who support concealed carry on campus Not surprisingly, in an article on its website that anticipates would come to school wearing empty holsters. that very argument, the SCCC offers this reply: “Actually, the Currently, Utah is the only state to answer to bullets flying is almost alallow weapons at its nine public uniways more bullets flying. That’s why A concealed carry permit versities. Colorado allows students at the police bring so many guns with doesn’t confer on its universities to carry weapons, except them when they respond to a report of at the main university campus in Boul‘shots fired.’ ” holder any special insight der. Blue Ridge Community College But where does it stop? The point or emotional maturity. (Va.) also allows students with a proper here is that more does not necessarily concealed carry permit to be armed. mean better. I should point out here that I am A concealed carry permit is a piece of paper, like a driver’s not inherently opposed to responsible firearms ownership. I license, and most people treat it with the same respect and reearned marksmanship badges as a teen, and I used to work on sponsibility that they do when getting behind the wheel of a a publication that dealt with firearms retailing. I don’t even car. But getting a permit doesn’t magically confer on its holder object to people owning and carrying firearms for personal any special insight, emotional maturity, or rational abilities protection. that weren’t there before. It’s not like the Great and Powerful I do believe, however, that the college campus should re- Wizard of Oz giving the Scarecrow a brain. In this case, more main off limits to firearms. The fact that this group claims to is not necessarily better. have almost 28,500 members (approximately 90 percent col“My belief is we ought to be focusing on what we do to lege students and 10 percent faculty, parents, and concerned prevent the shooting from starting,” Chief Ferrara said in the citizens) indicates that many others don’t feel the same way. CNN piece. I agree with that sentiment wholeheartedly, but The group’s efforts to paint the modern college campus like I’d like to hear from University Business readers. What is the clithe Wild West fall short. Since The University of Texas at mate like on your campus? Is there a call for concealed carry? Austin shootings in 1966, there have been only about a dozen What is your response? Write to me at the address below and such incidents on campuses in the United States. Campus let me know. crime overall has been on the decline, whether firearms are present or not. SCCC argues that concealed carry states have lower violent crime rates than other states. That may be, but a low crime rate can be attributed to many things. To claim that the absence of violent crime is the direct result of pistol- Write to Tim Goral at tgoral@universitybusiness.com. I 14 | May 2008 universitybusiness.com http://universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - May 2008

University Business - May 2008
Contents
College Index
Company Index
Advisory Board
Editor's Note
Stats Watch
People Watch
Sense of Place
Viewpoint
Money Matters
Financial Aid
Human Resources
Community Colleges
Art Appreciation
HR Directors Speak Out
Marketing: The Big Questions Answered
Top 5 Reasons You Should Attend EduComm 2008
What's New
Calendar of Events
End Note

University Business - May 2008