WHO HAS CONCEALED HANDGUNS ON CAMPUS?

Greg Abbott, Mayor of Texas signed Senate Bill 11 into law on June 13, 2015, which later went into effect on campus on August 1, 2016. This law only requires that the person that carries a concealed handgun on campus to meet the following guidelines.

1. Must have a valid Texas concealed handgun license(CHL)

2. Must be concealed at all times.

3. Can not be carried in restricted areas. Should have signage that is outlined as Texas’ Penal Code Section 30.06

 

According, to these rules there is nothing to know who has a concealed weapon on campus.

We register our cars and not guns? I wanted to know why?

 

University Police were unavailable for comment. I reached out to Lt. Eric Gonzalez, and never received a call back. According to public records from TAMUCC Police there have been no incidents on campus.

 

In fall of 2015, a Task Force was setup to determine what is needed to be able to have concealed handguns on campus. It was lead by President Flavius Killebrew, Dr. Don Albrecht, Vice President of Student Engagement and Success, and Terry Tatum, Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration.

 

“The task force found that the rules stated above would be enough for the Texas A and M Corpus Christi campus. They did not feel as if they needed to add in anything about registering the gun with the campus police.” Says Dr. Don Albrecht.

 

At the Texas A and M campus in Texarkana, has a place to store their guns, when in certain buildings, they have to pay a fee to use the lockers that are provided. This keeps the campus safe in some areas of the university. This is not done at TAMUCC due to the fact that the moving the concealed handgun from whatever it is in to the locker could cause it to go off.

 

Students that I spoke with on campus. Say that  they are unaware of where concealed handguns can be carried or not. Since, there is nothing in the campus policy about concealed handguns. So you do not know until you see a sign that says “No concealed handguns here.”  

 

When walking around the campus I was able to find a few signs in some buildings, the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC), Science Labs, and other places that use flammable liquids to do things. Since, the guns might catch on fire in some of these circumstances.

 

Students, Morgan Norwood and Corbin Schnuriger both agree,” that there should be more protection, by knowing who has concealed weapons on campus. Considering that there seems like there are not enough University Police if something were to happen.”

 

Albrecht assured me that there would be enough security if there where a shooting on campus, since they would call in Corpus Christi Police Department and the Navy Police from the Base.  

 

On the Texas A and M Corpus Christi Police website there is information about if you need them. The most important information above all is that in an Emergency is to call 9-1-1, then University Police at (361) 825-XXXX.