UA System President Donald Bobbitt declined to say what he’d recommend to his board.
At least nine colleges and universities have voted to opt out of the new law, which allows schools to determine whether to allow the weapons on all or parts of their campuses. More could be on the way, with the state’s two largest university systems prepared to vote this week on whether to allow the handguns on campus.
The boards of trustees for the University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University systems on Thursday are scheduled to vote on whether to opt out of the law, which was signed into law in March. A spokesman for ASU said chancellors from the system’s four campuses have all recommended against allowing the concealed weapons.
UA System President Donald Bobbitt declined to say what he’d recommend to his board, but indicated that the consensus among campus leaders is leaning against allowing firearms.
“The licensed professionals that we’ve involved on public safety and that we consult with do not feel this would add to public safety and in fact would confuse a crisis situation by making them decide between a number of armed individuals,” Bobbitt said.
The response Bobbitt’s received is similar to other campuses around the state that say they believe their own security officials should be the only ones carrying firearms on campus.
“The only person I want armed on this campus are my guards,” said Jack Matlock, director of security for Philander Smith College, a historically Black school located near downtown Little Rock that has opted out of the new law.
