Blinn College is seeking the community’s input regarding what is referred to as “reasonable rules” for the implementation of campus carry at Blinn College.
They have invited interested community members to complete a brief survey at:
http://bit.ly/Campus-Carry-Survey
The survey takes roughly 5-10 minutes to complete, and responses will be used to inform Blinn’s Campus Carry Task Force when providing recommendations to the District President/CEO regarding the implementation of policies related to Senate Bill 11, also known as the “campus carry” law. The survey is designed to engage Blinn stakeholders in the implementation of the law at Blinn College, and will have no effect on the law itself. The survey closes at noon on Wednesday, Jan. 18.
Blinn’s Campus Carry Task Force was created in response to Senate Bill 11, which allows concealed handgun license holders to carry concealed handguns on the campus of Texas higher education institutions. The law went into effect for Texas four-year universities on August 1, 2016, and will go into effect for Texas community colleges on August 1, 2017.
The law requires the president of each institution, after consulting with students, staff, and faculty, to establish reasonable rules and regulations regarding concealed handguns. In August, Blinn established its 34-member Campus Carry Task Force, comprised of faculty, staff, administrators, and students from across the College district, to provide District President/CEO Dr. Mary Hensley with recommendations regarding the implementation of Senate Bill 11 at Blinn College.
Using feedback collected from faculty, staff, students, and members of the community, the Task Force plans to provide Hensley with its recommendations in February. In March, Hensley will establish reasonable rules, which will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for review and approval by May in advance of the law going into effect on August 1, 2017.
In preparation for its own recommendations, Blinn’s Campus Carry Task Force has studied the implementation plans developed by various Texas four-year universities. In October, the Task Force met with Chris Meyer, Assistant Vice President for Safety and Security at Texas A&M University and TAMU’s Campus Carry Task Force co-chair, to discuss Texas A&M’s implementation process and learn from its experience.
Based upon its research, Blinn’s Campus Carry Task Force has noted that its report will need to address areas on campus where:
- minors may be present;
- that may be put to a public use, such as voting sites and courtrooms from which guns are banned;
- where students reside;
- that are used for special events;
- that are used for multiple purposes from which concealed handguns are sometimes banned;
- where chemicals and other hazardous materials may be stored;
- where counseling and mental health services are offered;
- offices in which disciplinary actions occur; and
- offices which are used by more than one employee.
Blinn’s Campus Carry Task Force has divided into four sub-committees, each with specific areas of responsibility:
- Community Engagement, which engages faculty, staff, administrators, students and external collaborators in the process;
- Communication, which works with the media to ensure ongoing communication with stakeholders;
- Gun-Free Designated Areas, which establishes process for identifying gun-free zones and recommending designations;
- and Final Report Development, which prepares the recommendations for the District President/CEO’s review and approval, describes Blinn’s process in developing its recommendations, and includes the pros and cons of each area for inclusion or exclusion as a gun-free area.
The Task Force has developed an informational web page at www.blinn.edu/campus-carry, which includes links to more information regarding Senate Bill 11 and campus carry, frequently asked questions, information regarding the Task Force, meeting agendas and minutes, and Blinn’s campus carry implementation timeline.
For more information regarding Senate Bill 11, campus carry, and Blinn’s Campus Carry Task Force, visit www.blinn.edu/campus-carry.