In the recently concluded legislative session, there were two notable happenings regarding guns on campus.

In the first, a bill allowing for handguns to be carried into campus buildings by persons possessing concealed handgun licenses failed to pass.

A second bill forbidding colleges from banning handguns and ammunition in cars parked on campus passed. Current law has allowed only campus employees to keep weapons in their cars.

In an attempt to discern the will of faculty on this issue, the Texas Community College Teachers’ Association (TCCTA) did a survey of its members on this issue. The results indicated a split in faculty opinions. Rural college faculties located a substantial distance from law enforcement tended to favor the right to carry, while urban college faculty tended to oppose arms on campus. As a result, TCCTA’s position on the issue is that colleges should be allowed to make their own policy regarding handguns in campus buildings.

The issue is likely to show up again in future legislative sessions.