Students Protest Gun Rights At OU
University Has Zero Tolerance Policy On Guns
POSTED: Tuesday, April 6, 2010
UPDATED: 6:41 pm EDT April 6, 2010
ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich. -- A group of students wearing empty holsters is protesting gun restrictions this week at Oakland University.
Reid Smith, of Students for Concealed Carry On Campus, said they're lobbying for the university to recognize their constitutional right to bear arms.
The university has a zero-tolerance gun policy, which applies to everyone except police officers. But, according to state law, the university can not take any legal action against someone carrying a weapon in a holster, but they can be faced with discipline from school administrators -- like being asked to leave class.
"We enforce a student code of conduct provision that bans carrying weapons on campus, and our faculty and staff recognize that for them to carry a weapon on campus would be inappropriate. We vigorously support a recent university senate resolution that opposes both current and pending state law allowing anyone with a permit to carry firearms on campus," OU President Gary Russi said in a statement.
Smith said it's all about freedom and personal protection.
"Most police chiefs will tell you, their (security) response time is two to three minutes. If someone's holding you up in the parking lot, two to three minutes isn't going to cut it," he said. "You can get your gun in a second and defend yourself."
Oakland University Police Chief Samuel Lucido said the ban does have students' safety in mind. He said the combination of young people, living in close quarters and often drinking alcohol, shouldn't be mixed with guns.
Smith maintains that the individual security of students exceeds everything else.
"If we are allowed to bring guns on campus, we'll be able to defend ourselves," he said.
Vice President for Student Affairs Mary Beth Snyder sent an e-mail last Thursday to notify and prepare the campus community of the demonstrations.
"These activities are not unique to our university but are part of larger efforts being orchestrated regionally and across the country to gain support of various concealed weapon initiatives," Snyder wrote in the e-mail. "The Oakland University Police Department will be monitoring this situation very closely to maintain a safe and non-threatening campus environment. If need be, officers will curtail any disruptions to the learning environment or university business."
The university also said a simulated crisis training exercise is scheduled to take place on the campus Friday.
"Funded by a federal grant we were very fortunate to receive, this extensive, multi-agency simulation will be an invaluable means of preparing the university and partner organizations to effectively respond to emergency or crisis situations," Russi said. "Campus safety is an absolutely top-tier priority at Oakland University, and this exercise will go a long way toward reinforcing and enhancing our commitment to it."
