The Student Government Association added an initiative to their list for the school year that will research and explore permitting concealed carry practices on NKU’s campus for students and faculty.

Senator Aaron Hatfield presented the issue at the student government meeting on Monday.

“As a senator for the student government, I believe that it is important for the integrity of this organization to fight for the rights of the individual student and citizen,” Hatfield said. “The issue, I believe, is worth talking about because there is a multitude of opinions on the subject, but also because it involves the safety of the individual and once again their constitutional rights.”

Student Government President Katherine Hahnel wants the student body to understand that this issue is simply a goal for the time being.

“By voting on it [to add to the list of initiatives], it’s not saying that it is going to happen or isn’t going to happen, and it’s not saying that SGA is for or against it,” Hahnel said. “It’s just saying that we’re willing to research it.”

Kentucky state law states that the individual university, college, or any postsecondary education facility, including technical and community colleges, has the right to control the possession of deadly weapons on any property owned or controlled by that institution.

There are seven states that allow concealed and carry practices on public, postsecondary campuses. They include Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin.

Kentucky is one of 23 states that permits each individual university to decide whether or not to allow concealed carry on campus.

According to Northern Kentucky University’s current policy, guns and other deadly weapons are prohibited “on any property owned, leased, or controlled by the University, including but not limited to the following: classrooms, laboratories, residence halls, office buildings, performance halls, museums, athletics and recreation facilities, parking lots and structures, University owned vehicles, and all outdoor areas of the campus of any unit of the University.”

The policy applies to all faculty, staff, students and visitors. There are a few exceptions regarding the policy, including possession of a firearm by persons who are authorized to do so, such as “Commonwealth’s attorneys, judges of the Court of Justice, conservations officers of the Department of Fish and Wildlife, elected sheriffs, and peace officers from other jurisdictions.”

An individual licensed to carry a firearm can legally store their firearm in a motor vehicle (including private vehicles) as long as it is not removed from the vehicle, according to the university’s policy concerning guns.

Hahnel said that student government plans to gauge student opinion regarding the issue through a written survey. She also said that Senator Hatfield will be in charge of research for the initiative.

“This is not just another stereotypical argument about gun control,” Hatfield said. “I don’t care if you honestly as an individual like guns or not, that’s not why I’m here. I have simply brought this to the table based off of conversations that I have had with multiple individuals here on campus, from which they have started. I believe it is my job to bring these opinions to the forefront, and if I didn’t I honestly don’t believe I would be fulfilling my job as a student senator.”

Chief of police Leslie Kachurek explained that he does not advocate for nor against concealed carry on campus. He also said that university police will enforce what is being legislated, including changes in administrative legislation.

“Whatever Northern Kentucky University tells the police department to support and enforce, is what we will support and enforce,” Kachurek said. “We will certainly, if it comes down to where the President and Northern Kentucky University would like to get into that discussion [of concealed carry practices on campus], and they invite us into that discussion, we would be more than happy to get involved with that discussion.”

For more information on NKU’s policy on deadly weapons, visit http://policy.nku.edu/content/dam/policy/docs/a-through-z-policy-finder/Administrative-Regulations/Firearms,%20Deadly%20Weapons,%20and%20Dangerous%20Instrumentalities.pdf