University Business - August 2007 - (Page 10)

EDITOR’S NOTE A Loaded Question ERHAPS YOU’VE HEARD THAT THE NEVADA System of Higher Education’s Board of Regents is considering a plan to allow faculty and staﬀ members at its eight institutions to become armed reserve police ofﬁcers in the hope of preventing violent attacks like the tragic shooting at Virginia Tech in April. Regent Stavros Anthony, a Las Vegas police captain, outlined a plan in June in which NSHE employees could sign up for 21 weeks of police training. These reserve oﬃcers wouldn’t carry radios or respond to typical campus incidents, yet they would carry ﬁrearms and be expected to go into action in a major incident. The plan concealed-carry ﬁrearms. But those concealed-carry citizens would cost an estimated $3,500 per person in training and are not expected to be an extension of law enforcement. Presumably, they use their guns only in self defense. By contrast, equipment. According to John Kuhlman, manager of Public Informa- the Nevada plan puts the onus on faculty members and staﬀ tion for the NSHE, the board will take up the proposal next to respond as certiﬁed oﬃcers and make the kind of snap decimonth in its regular meeting. Whether it moves forward re- sions that even experienced oﬃcers struggle with. Given the required ﬁve-month training period, will enough mains to be seen, but the proposal raises many questions. faculty or staﬀ members even sign up to Without trying to sound ﬂip, I wonder make the eﬀort worthwhile? What will be whether Anthony’s plan is an overreaction to the reserve oﬃcers’ liability if they do ﬁre what is, fortunately, an extremely rare occur- Is putting more guns a weapon? Will they be compensated for rence on college campuses. After all, the matheir police duty? jority of “real world” oﬃcers never ﬁre their in more hands really But maybe what bothers me most guns in the course of duty. Is putting more the answer? about Anthony’s plan is his comment that guns in more hands really the answer? it would bring reserve oﬃcers onto camMost universities ban guns on campus pus without having to pay for additional except for law enforcement use. And there are some, like Brandeis University, Framingham State Col- oﬃcers. Such frugality might be admirable when it comes to, lege, and Suﬀolk University (all Mass.), and City College say, softball coaches, but when an institution’s safety and secuof San Francisco, that don’t even allow their oﬃcers to carry rity is at stake, isn’t it wiser to invest in measures that would have a deeper eﬀect? ﬁrearms. Wouldn’t the time and resources be better spent on hiring Only Utah currently allows the carrying of concealed weapons on campus, the result of a long and contentious full-time oﬃcers that can extend the capabilities of an existing battle between the University of Utah and the state’s attorney force? Maybe those funds can be spent on additional security general, who had threatened to cut oﬀ state funds if the school cameras or locking systems instead. Or how about diverting that money into the underfunded mental health services that didn’t acquiesce. Other states may follow suit, especially after the Virginia might forestall a tragedy long before it materializes? I’d like to hear your opinion of this very serious matter. Tech tragedy. South Carolina legislators are considering a concealed-carry bill for colleges and universities that will be taken Write to me at the address below and share your thoughts. up again when they begin their next session. To be fair to Anthony’s plan, it would appear to be built on a solid foundation. The ﬁrearms industry can produce reams of well-researched and documented evidence to show that incidents of violent crime are lower in states that allow Write to Tim Goral at tgoral@universitybusiness.com. P 10 | August 2007 universitybusiness.com http://universitybusiness.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of University Business - August 2007

Contents
College Index
Company Index
Advisory Board
Editor's Note
People Watch
Sense of Place
Viewpoint
Admissions
On the Hill
Future Shock
Independent Outlook
Facility Focus
Wanted: Foreign Students
Service With a Star
Beneficial Benefits
Addition By Subtraction
Report from EduComm 2007
Report Card
Internet Technology
What's New
Calendar of Events
Direct Connect
End Note

University Business - August 2007