Brianna Dougherty, Campus Carrier Features Editor & Chandler Lawrence, COM 250 Student
Mixed feelings about campus carry from Berry community
Concealed carry weapons are on their way to being legalized on public college campuses in the state of Georgia.
The Georgia House Bill 859 passed assembly and has now been sent to Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal. This bill would allow anyone over 21 with a gun permit to carry their weapon on campus at a public university. However, it would not allow guns in residence halls, Greek life buildings or at athletic events.
Concerns have been raised that the change in policy might lead to an increase in active shootings on campuses.
“Personally, I am not for having guns on public campuses,” junior Shannon Cordon said. “College kids can be irresponsible at times, and I think it might lead to dangerous situations.”
Others feel it would provide greater protection from shooters by giving individuals a means to defend themselves. According to Shannon Bond, adjunct professor of physical education, active shooters specifically target gun free zones. Bond said that having other firearms in the area would serve as a deterrent to any would-be mass shootings.
“If we are setting up blockages for an individual to carry out their plan, I think that’s going to assist security,” Bond said.
What many have not considered are the effects this new gun policy could have on individuals in conflict or self harm situations.
“I do not think it is really about the active shooters and the persons who have been very psychologically unstable,” dean of students Debbie Heida said. “I do not know that having guns on campus would increase the number of mass shootings. I think it is more of a risk in campus conflict situations and for someone who may be feeling like life is pretty hard and looking for a way out.”
According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 13 percent of college students have been diagnosed with some form of mental illness such as an anxiety disorder or depression. Nine percent have seriously considered suicide in the last year.
However, a mental disorder, according to associate director of counseling Terri Cordle, should not be cause to assume someone is dangerous.
“I think we all need to be careful about assuming that people, if they are depressed and have access to a gun, that they are going to shoot people or they are going to shoot themselves,” Cordle said. “Most people with mental health issues do not do anything violent to themselves or others.”
The bill would affect the training of those who are meant to look after them such as the campus police and the resident assistants who would have to approach every situation as though there may be a gun involved.
This change in atmosphere would drastically change the dynamic between these groups and the student body.
“It would make the RA training totally different,” junior RA Nikki Himebaugh said. “You would have to learn how not just to approach those situations but how to approach those situations in an environment that you could potentially die. You would have to train the RAs for every single situation plus a gun now.”
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the daily use of marijuana and alcohol by college students has more than tripled since 1994. The use of these substances can sometimes lead to poor judgment.
“People being drunk or intoxicated at any point when handling a gun, even when trained, are not going to be able to exhibit the best gun safety,” sophomore Peer Educator Jacquelyn Bruun said. “The mix of alcohol on a college campus where mental illness is very prevalent could definitely lend itself to issues such as suicide or a shooting.”
According to Heida, the bill will not affect Berry’s campus, and concealed weapons will likely not be allowed on campus in the near future.
Bill raises concerns about increased violence
With the passing of Georgia House Bill 859, tensions are mounting at the thought of college students having guns on campus at public institutions. However, many Berry students understand the intent behind the legislation.
“I see how it could be beneficial at big schools,” sophomore Madelin Ryan said. “If the student is licensed with a thorough background check, we would hopefully see a decrease in the school shootings and violent crimes on campus.”
Studies conducted through Purdue University have found that different levels of security during shootings have an impact on both casualties and response time of police. The levels studied ranged from schools that had no other firearms on campus to those where students were allowed concealed carry. In shootings where an armed officer was available, casualties dropped by 66.5 percent and response time was cut by 59.5 percent in comparison to gun free school zones without a resource officer available.
Outside of school shooting statistics alone, it has also been found that in every mass shooting in the United States since 1950, all but two took place in a gun-free zone. Both of these statistics have been attributed to the possible shooter wanting to avoid return fire. The perceived benefits of having students armed on campuses are so they might be a deterrent in mass shootings.
However, college communities’ worries lie with heated conflicts, especially when alcohol may be involved; discouraging recruitment of faculty and students; and creating an atmosphere of fear that even affects how professors issue grades. There are also questions about schools monitoring who has a firearm and whether or not those students should be trusted to carry a weapon.
The policy can be changed to fit the college’s needs as it has in other states, such as Texas where campus carry legislation has passed. For example, at the University of Texas, the college released a policy that keeps guns out of dorm rooms, sporting events, mental health treatment facilities and labs with dangerous chemicals. Professors at UT have the power to ban them in their private offices. However, if they were to try to ban them in classrooms, it would be a violation of the law.
The faculty senate at the University of Houston made several recommendations to professors including, “Be careful discussing sensitive topics.” Other recommendations included, “drop certain topics from your curriculum; [don’t] ‘go there’ if you sense anger; limit student access off hours; go to appointment-only office hours; only meet ‘that student’ in controlled circumstances.”
The positives and negatives of the bill are, even after being passed, still being heavily debated. However, this bill would not affect Berry and other private colleges unless administration decided to change the policy.
“In a community like Berry, campus carry seems unnecessary,” junior Brent Dotson said. “Unless there was a ‘Revenant’ situation with a deer, a gun doesn’t seem needed.”