Concealed Carry on campuses in Pennsylvania

[Airman193SOS]

I've been doing some research, and I have been unable to find a college campus prohibition in Pennsylvania's Uniform Firearms Act. The UFA specifically prohibits carry at primary and secondary schools, but not universities. Given that Pennsylvania has preemption, does that mean that colleges are illegally prohibiting CC on campuses?

If so, how does one go about properly demonstrating that this is the case without making himself (read: me) a test case? I have no desire to take on the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and potentially lose all of my rights.

 

[Vitamin G]

As it was told to me, its not against the law to carry a firearm on university property.


It is, however, just about universally against policy. Expulsion wasn't worth risking graduation, to me.

 

[geekWithA.45]

*Ahem*

There are no special legal regulations around carriage of arms on college level campuses in PA.

Because the right to bear arms for the defense of yourself and your state may not be questioned in PA, there won't be either, as the student body at teh college level is comprised mostly of 18+ ~presumed~ adults.

True, you must be 21 for an LTCF, but OC is theoretically lawful for 18+ under certain circumstances.

As for the universality of policy, that's a mixed bag. Back when I was an adjunct professor, the issue wasn't on a lot of administration's radars. In some cases, the policy prohibited armed students, but professors weren't mentioned. I can think of one university that remains silent on the issue, and I can think of numerous professors @ various places who deeply believe that concealed means concealed.

 

[Nobody's_Hero]

Georgia is supposed to have a clause in its firearms code that its cities cannot preempt the right to carry by authorized citizens. However, some municipalities have outlawed carrying in city parks, which is being fought against in courts at the moment.

As for college campuses, I would probably talk to your college president.

Here's an excerpt from my college's student handbook code of conduct:

7. Individuals will contribute to a safe environment within the College community.
Examples of prohibited behavior include but are not limited to: possession of weapons, incendiary devices, or explosives; possession of articles or substances that are used as weapons or simulated weapons unless prior authorization is received from the Dean of Students; misuse of College keys; willful failure to identify or false identification of oneself or one’s guest(s); failure to assume responsibility for the actions of one’s guest(s); misuse or damage of fire fighting, safety, or other emergency equipment; interference in the provision of emergency services; failure to comply with appropriate requests from College Security or the College staff members; intoxication that disrupts other individuals or the College’s activities/administrative responsibilities; failure to comply with restriction from areas on campus. Students may not participate in any activity that could cause harm to themselves or others.

Now, I have never known or heard of the dean granting a request of a permit-holding student to carry his firearm on campus, but then, I don't think anyone has ever asked. It is interesting to note that you can be drunk as long as you aren't bothering anyone else's studies. I might just try that next semester; Maybe I'll score better on the tests.

 

[Rumble]

I am a professor at a Pennsylvania university. It is not illegal to carry on a PA college/university campus, as GeekWitha45 said.

Back in April, my wife and I exchanged mail with our local representative on this topic, and he said simply that universities and colleges are free to set their own policies regarding the possession of weapons on campus.

The policy at my university is odd. It's exquisitely specific for students - weapons, things that look like weapons, things that look like they might be weapons, things that aren't weapons but are pointy, etc...all are forbidden, and the penalty is generally suspension or expulsion.

For employees, there is no explicit policy, except for the campus police webpage that simply says "Weapons are not permitted anywhere on university grounds."

Still, my take on it is that while I'm unlikely to be charged with a crime (or at least charged so it sticks) for getting caught carrying on campus, it would quite likely end my career at the university.

 

[Steve in PA]

It's against policy.............not against the law.