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Subscribe to RSSColorado University will no longer allow concealed weapons in undergrad dormitories, but will continue to allow them elsewhere on campus. KUSA's Meagan Fitzgerald reports.
Updated at 4:57 p.m. ET: The University of Colorado will segregate students who have concealed-weapons permits in special dorms, but their firearms will have to be locked up before bedtime, according to campus police.
University officials have amended their student housing contract at its Boulder and Colorado Springs campuses to accommodate students who are 21 years or older and have concealed-weapons carry permits, said Ryan Huff, public information officer with the University of Colorado's campus police in Boulder.
"If you have a permit, you can carry a concealed weapon on campus, as long as its hidden away from view, and you can even have it with you in class," Huff told NBC News. "What you can not do is have it on you at a ticketed event, such as football games, or in any of the residence halls on campus."
The university’s policy change comes after the Colorado Supreme Court upheld an appeals-court decision in March that struck down the university’s ban on guns.
“I believe we have taken reasonable steps to adhere to the ruling of the Colorado Supreme Court, while balancing that with the priority of providing a safe environment for our students, faculty and staff,” CU-Boulder Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano said in a statement on the university’s website.
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University officials say both campuses will establish a residential area for students with permits but will ban guns in all other dormitories, according to the new policy.
Huff said those who live in residence halls will have to lock up their firearms with police, but can check out their weapon before and after they go to their residence hall. For those living in family housing units, he said, safes will be established and supervised by the housing monitor.
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"Ultimately, CU-Boulder and Students for Concealed Carry have the same goal in mind, the safety of campus patrons," David Burnett, director of public relations for Students for Concealed Carry, said in an email to NBC News. "We feel that CU's previous policy of expecting criminals to comply with 'no-gun' stickers on the doors was absurdly ineffective, and are happy they have made the change to allow campus carry."
The new policy, however, isn’t sitting well with James Manley, a lawyer for the Mountain States Legal Foundation, a nonprofit group in Lakewood, Colo., that advocates liberty and freedom.
"We still need to see the actual language of the policy before we make a decision on how to proceed," Manley told The Daily Camera in Boulder.
University officials say less than 1 percent of its staff, faculty and students have concealed-carry permits, according to the Boulder newspaper.
Under Colorado law, to get a concealed-carry permit, a person must be 21 or older, get a federal background check and demonstrate competence with a firearm, including through a class, or military or police service.
On July 20, a mass shooting occurred at a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises" in the suburb of Aurora. James Holmes, a 24-year-old former doctoral student at the University of Colorado, is accused of killing 12 people and injuring 58 others in the spree.
Huff said there is no connection between the university's new policy and the Aurora shootings.
"The university wanted to make sure its new policy was in place before students returned for the school year," he said.
According to the university website, students will start returning to residence halls on Tuesday; classes begin for the semester on Aug. 27.
Do you have an education-related story or idea, contact NBC News' Sevil Omer at sevil.omer@msnbc.com
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I'd think that University Officials would know that this too, is unconstitutional and discriminatory! I see this as the start of anti-gun agendas to remove our rights to bear arms nationally! [:-(]
I'd think that University Officials would know that this too, is unconstitutional and discriminatory! I see this as the start of anti-gun agendas to remove our rights to bear arms nationally! [:-(]
A CCW ia bull @!$%# cause there are all kinds of places you cannot bring the weapon even with a CCW. @!$%# America!
Sadly, the most extreme of the extreme gun fanatics have gotten their way. No matter how many thousands of lives are lost needlessly to gun violence every year, they will not budge one inch.
Sooner or later, sanity will return and we will pass some sensible and reasonable gun control laws (get rid of the assault rifles, stop the gun show ability to bypass any tiny amount of accountability, etc.).
That is not infringement of gun rights, nor on any other rights.
My child needs to have protection from other students randomly carrying loaded weapons. Even in Colorado, this is no longer the wild west, but the modern world where we need to be able to live together.
It is so sad the distortions and nonsequiters trotted out by gun nuts. America is a true anomaly in our gun obsession, and we really need to grow up.
It is infringement. We have more than enough "sensible" and "reasonable" firearms laws. There's an old adage that goes "give an inch, take a mile." This is the tactic used in order to accomplish legislated "agendas." It's always "just a little more", until there is nothing left. Lincoln said it best..."You can fool some of the people, some of the time. But you can't fool all the people, all the time." Most see it for what it is; further abridgement and ultimate removal of a Constitutionally protected right. Don't p__s on my boots and tell me it's raining.
I was under the impression that segregation was against the law. There's a Federal law that say you can't segregate like this. The next thing is, if they lock up their pistols will the criminals wait for them to go get them? This is as stupid a thing as I have ever heard.
I have a concealed carry permit and I have even taught classes. I know that if you use your gun you better be 100% sure it was the right time and not the wrong way. Classes are for that reason!! You need to know the laws in your state!
I posted a comment in response to the poster below:
Although the link appears in my column, when I click on it, it takes me to this article but then just quits with the "Done" status in the lower left corner without ever showing my comment. So I searched on my name and couldn't find it. Then I tried Google on the exact phrase above and still nothing.
Since when does nbcnews.com censor comments? I know for a fact that there was nothing in my comment that violated the TOS. At least NewsVine notifies you when they remove your comments and tell you why.
Can anyone here shed any light on what happened or may have happened? In the meantime I'll post what I am able to recover on http://stalkinginterventionsinc.org/NewsVine/DeletedComments if you want to see it.a It's not there yet, it's on different computer.
I posted a comment in response to the poster below:
Although the link appears in my column, when I click on it, it takes me to this article but then just quits with the "Done" status in the lower left corner without ever showing my comment. So I searched on my name and couldn't find it. Then I tried Google on the exact phrase above and still nothing.
Since when does nbcnews.com censor comments? I know for a fact that there was nothing in my comment that violated the TOS. At least NewsVine notifies you when they remove your comments and tell you why.
Can anyone here shed any light on what happened or may have happened? In the meantime I'll post what I am able to recover on http://stalkinginterventionsinc.org/NewsVine/DeletedComments if you want to see it. It's not there yet, it's on different computer.
Nevermind, it was part of a collapsed comment.
I guarantee this will be the safest dorm on campus ;)
Sociopaths do not attack while you sleep?
Makes no sense to tell potential criminals which housing may be armed. A 21 year old college student is no more of a danger than a 21 year old not in school. And the Constitution should be protected in public places.
the NRA is going to throw a fit!