We, the forty-eight undersigned members of the faculty of the Department of Government at the University of Texas, strongly object to the campus carry legislation that will take effect next year.  We enthusiastically endorse the recently-issued statement of the American Political Science Association, the major association of political scientists in the US, opposing campus carry on the grounds of free speech and security, and calling out the Texas law in particular.

Recognizing that the law is now in its implementation stage, we ask the President of the University to establish broad exclusionary zones in which guns are banned on campus, including classrooms and faculty/TA offices, all dorms (or at least allow students to have gun-free dorm options), on-campus daycare and other child education centers, buildings that include health services, sport venues, and any building where alcohol is served.  We do so for the following reasons:

1. The campus carry law as passed offers sufficient discretion to university officials to establish broad exclusionary zones.  Speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus recently commented that the legislature gave “a lot of authority and flexibility to design a plan” to university presidents.
2. The Campus Carry Law would have a detrimental effect on academic freedom and freedom of expression, which could be mitigated by broad exclusionary zones.  Universities are dedicated to open and frank discussions and debates over fundamental issues.  Possession of concealed handguns in this context will threaten the free discussion required for university personnel to carry out our teaching mission, particularly classroom conduct negatively.  It also has the potential of affecting the grades given by faculty due to implied threats from permit holders.
3. Many faculty, students and staff are concerned that the Law would negatively affect campus safety, but broad exclusionary zones could offset some of those concerns. Campus police do not support campus carry based on safety concerns.   The law stipulates that exclusionary zones can be established for campus safety.  An accidental or intentional discharge of a concealed handgun could result in serious injury or death not only from the gunshot but also the resulting panic. This can happen in classes as well as hallways and offices.

Continue reading Statement of Government Department Faculty on Campus Carry →

We, the faculty and staff of the Department of Middle Eastern Studies are dedicated to researching and educating about a region that is today plagued by violence, war, and extremism. Many of us have also lived in this region and thus have experienced firsthand the effects of such violence on individuals, families, and communities. In a context in which violence is a major problem, adding easier access to weapons, even with the intent of protection, makes things worse, rather than better. Having seen firsthand the effects of the presence of guns and other weapons in the region we study, we are deeply distressed that this is what is currently envisioned for the University of Texas at Austin.
More specifically, our faculty, staff, and students are fearful because on a daily basis, we teach, research and discuss topics that are by their very nature emotionally and ideologically charged. We teach about religion, including Islam, Judaism and Christianity. We also deal with conflicts like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Sunni-Shi’i sectarian relations, the civil war in Syria, the Armenian Genocide issue, human rights, gender and sexuality, religious and ethnic minorities, the Iraq and Afghan wars, violent extremism, and terrorism. Increasing the number of guns in our classes, libraries, labs, lounges, dormitories, and offices, promises either to shut down such difficult dialogues altogether, or worse, to increase the chances of them turning deadly. Preserving the ability of students, staff, and faculty members to express their opinions and collectively explore the complex nature of the contemporary and historical Middle East, requires that everyone participating in academic discourse feel safe from political or physical pressure to conform to any one line of thinking. Legally permitting weapons in campus buildings can only negatively affect academic freedom.

This law will also adversely affect UT Austin’s competitiveness. Since many faculty and students both inside and outside the university have a negative view of this law, it will make it significantly more difficult to recruit and retain the best faculty and students nationally and from around the world. We are particularly concerned about the effect of the law on the recruitment and retention of minority faculty and students from the United States and from the Middle East. They would understandably feel that their safety could be compromised in settings where they may be viewed –rightly or wrongly – as representatives of the sensitive viewpoints that are the object of our study.

The Texas Legislature has imposed this law on our university community against the majority’s very explicit opposition to it. For all these reasons, we strenuously object to this law and to the presence of concealed guns in campus buildings. Continue reading Department of Middle Eastern Studies on Campus Carry →

Media studies scholars and film production faculty teach students how to analyze and create film and media representations. We study the role of media and movies including their societal effects.

The undersigned members of the Radio-TV-Film Department at the University of Texas at Austin are deeply concerned about how the university will implement the “campus carry” bill Senate Bill 11, and we consider any interpretation of the law that allows weapons in the classroom to be in direct violation of the university¹s core values, which emphasize learning in a caring community and freedom to seek and express the truth.

RTF faculty do not want guns in our classrooms. We believe, based on our collective teaching experience, that their presence will diminish students’ abilities to engage in sensitive discussions in studies classes and in peer critiques of work in production classes. Our film production facilities have strict rules about the use of fake guns and simulated violence on film sets and on locations.  Allowing concealed loaded guns in proximity to these settings presents far greater safety risk than is tolerable.

For decades Hollywood has fueled good guy/bad guy myths often invoked by gun advocates and news commentators as if they were accurate depictions of how and why gun violence occurs. In our department we distinguish between fiction and real life. We submit that there is no scenario under which the presence of guns in classrooms does not harm the learning environment, or under which guns in the classroom is either necessary or desirable.  Continue reading Radio-TV-Film Department Statement on the Campus Carry Law →

This past weekend the Executive Committee of the Texas Conference of the AAUP issued the following statement:

The Executive Committee of the Texas Conference of the American Association of University Professors continues to oppose the ‘campus carry’ laws. College campuses are marketplaces of ideas, and a rigorous academic exchange of ideas is chilled by weapons on campus. The Executive Committee of the Texas Conference of the American Association of University Professors strongly supports faculty efforts to make college campuses as safe and weapon-free as possible for students, faculty, staff, parents, and community members.

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October 5, 2015

The American Educational Research Association and the Association for the Study of Higher Education extend their deepest condolences to the families of the 10 victims of the shooting at Umpqua Community College and to the entire campus community. As organizations committed to the nurturing of students and the betterment of society, we are saddened by yet another senseless loss of lives in a learning environment. Of all societal settings, the classroom, whether it is in an elementary school or on a college campus, should be the safest and most embracing space, and a haven from the violence that too often afflicts the country.

We call on the education research community to further commit itself to expanding the body of research on school safety and climate at the K-12 level and extending it to higher education. Developing and promoting research-based programs and policies to reduce the risk of violence on college campuses also needs to be a major focus of education research. To foster the advancement of this research agenda, AERA and ASHE will convene a special joint forum at the AERA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., in April 2016. We recognize our responsibility to educate diverse publics in ways that can truly reduce violence in society.

About AERA
The American Educational Research Association (AERA) is the largest national professional organization devoted to the scientific study of education. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education, and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good. Find AERA on Facebook and Twitter.

About ASHE
The Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) is a scholarly society with about 2,000 members dedicated to higher education as a field of study. ASHE promotes collaboration among its members and others engaged in the study of higher education through research, conferences, and publications, including its highly regarded journal, The Review of Higher Education.

Contact:
Tony Pals, AERA
Victoria Oms, AERA
Kim Nehls, ASHE

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A.R. 30
In Opposition to Campus Carry at The University of Texas at Austin

Authors: Mr. Tanner Long (Representative, College of Liberal Arts), Mr. Jamie Nalley (Chair, Student Affairs Committee), Mr. Taral Patel (Representative, University Wide), Mr. John Brown (Director, State Relations Agency), Mr. Kori Rady (President, Student Body) and Nicole Kruijs (Abbott, Friar Society)

Sponsors: Mr. Austin Ferguson (Representative, College of Fine Arts), Mr. Tanner Long (Representative, College of Liberal Arts), Mr. Jamie Nalley (Chair, Student Affairs Committee) Mr. Taral Patel (Representative, University Wide) and Mr. Santiago Rosales (Representative, First Year)

WHEREAS, Student Government serves as the official voice of students at the University of Texas at Austin; and,

WHEREAS, This resolution represents the voice of students at The University of Texas at Austin, but it does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The University of Texas at Austin or The University of Texas System; and,

WHEREAS, Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among college-aged individuals; and,

WHEREAS, “Over half of college students reported some form of suicidal thinking in their lives” and 18% of undergraduates and 15% of graduate students have seriously considered attempting suicide; and,

WHEREAS,  “Findings also suggest that the presence of a gun in the home increases the chance that a homicide or suicide in the home will be committed with a firearm rather than by using other means”; and,

WHEREAS, In the event of a campus shooting, authorities might have trouble distinguishing between those with a drawn weapon acting in self-defense and the bad actor with a drawn weapon acting with malicious intent5; and,

WHEREAS, University of Texas System Chancellor William McRaven, Admiral and ninth commander of the United States Special Operations Command in the United States Navy, has stated, “I feel the presence of concealed weapons will make a campus a less-safe environment”; and,

WHEREAS, Chancellor McRaven further states “there is great concern that the presence of handguns, even if limited to licensed individuals age 21 or older, will lead to an increase in both accidental shootings and self-inflicted wounds”; and therefore,

WHEREAS, Former University of Texas System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa has stated, “parents, students, faculty, staff, administrators and institutional law enforcement officers have all expressed concerns that that the presence of concealed handguns on our campuses will make the campus environment less safe”; and therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, The University of Texas at Austin Student Government opposes any actions pursued by the legislature to legally allow non law enforcement officials the ability to possess concealed handguns on our campus; and therefore,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, Campus carry would generate several new issues for The University of Texas at Austin Police Department such as having to deal with handgun thefts on campus, the potential increase in handgun-related deaths and the lack of law enforcement training of students potentially acting in self-defense with a firearm in the event of a campus shooting; and therefore,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, The potential issues mentioned above could be avoided by continuing to outlaw concealed handguns on college campuses; and therefore,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be sent to Mr. William McRaven, Chancellor of The University of Texas System; Mr. Paul L. Foster, Chairman of The University of Texas System Board of Regents; Mr. William Powers, President of The University of Texas at Austin; Mr. Greg Abbott, Governor of the State of Texas; Mr. Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Texas; Mr. Joe Straus, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives; Mr. Kirk Watson, Texas State Senator for District 14; Mrs. Joan Huffman, Chair of the Senate Committee on State Affairs and Mr. Elliott Naishtat, Texas State Representative for District 49.

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The faculty, staff, and Emeriti of Department of English at the University of Texas at Austin strongly oppose the “campus carry” bill, Senate Bill 11. We believe that the presence of guns in classrooms, dormitories, and faculty offices is not only unsafe but will inhibit the free exchange of ideas and viewpoints that is integral to a university. The Texas Constitution mandates a “University of the first class,” but this law will damage our ability to recruit and retain the best students and faculty from across Texas, the nation, and the world. Continue reading The English Department on Campus Carry →

Department of Anthropology Faculty
Statement on Pending Campus Carry Law and its Implementation

October 15, 2015

Anthropologists study human cultural and biological variation and the impact of such variation on behavior and society. Our research and pedagogy challenges our students and the public to engage actively and openly with sometimes controversial ideas concerning race, gender, sexuality, ethnicity, inequality, religion, evolution, and other topics. To do so demands an environment where issues can be discussed freely, without fear of threat, intimidation, or violence.

Thus, we, the undersigned faculty members of the Department of Anthropology at UT Austin, are compelled to comment on the campus carry law, SB11, and its proposed implementation, which could allow Concealed Handgun License holders to bring guns into our classrooms, offices, laboratories, dormitories, student unions, and other buildings.

In our view, the risks associated with permitting concealed guns to be taken into campus buildings – particularly into spaces of learning where freedom of speech and expression without the threat of violence is critical – overwhelmingly outweigh the benefits. Our students and faculty – like many across campus – have told us that they will not be comfortable teaching about or discussing controversial subjects if they think there might be a gun in the room. The possible presence of concealed guns in campus buildings will create an environment of fear, which inhibits learning and effective teaching, and will have a chilling effect on free speech, open dialog, and academic freedom. We believe that such an atmosphere would be hugely detrimental to the university’s ability to fulfill its mission.

Moreover, as our colleagues in other social science departments have noted, there is no compelling evidence that the presence of concealed guns on campus will promote student safety, and ample reason to believe that it will lead to harm. We strenuously object to this law, and we urge the Task Force and the university administration to make the strongest possible case for excluding concealed guns from campus buildings. Continue reading Anthropology – Statement on Pending Campus Carry Law →

The Latin American Studies Association joins the American Political Science Association (APSA) in its deep concern about the impact of of Texas’s new Campus Carry law on freedom of expression in Texas universities. The law, which was passed earlier this year and takes effect in 2016, allows licensed handgun carriers to bring concealed handguns into buildings on Texas campuses.  LASA stands with APSA in its concern that the Campus Carry law and similar laws in other states might introduce serious safety threats on college campuses with a resulting harmful effect on professors and students and the free expression of ideas.

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We, the faculty, graduate students, and staff members of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese oppose the presence of concealed firearms in our classrooms, offices and social spaces. We strongly believe that concealed guns should not be allowed in any building, or on the perimeters of the campus of the University of Texas, Austin. We further believe that our main goal as a public Research One institution is the fostering of education, critical thinking, and professionalization of students. As an intellectual community, we simply reject the premise that guns will make our classrooms, offices, and social spaces safer.

In the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, our main goal is to educate and train our students to develop new knowledge about the languages, literatures and cultures of the Iberian and Latin American regions, their related diasporas, and their Indigenous, African, and Asian cultures. We would like to continue doing so in an atmosphere of mutual respect and without the threat posed by guns in our classrooms. As a racially, culturally, ethnically, and sexually diverse department, we are aware of the social-power dynamics behind gun culture and the potentially disruptive and dangerous state of affairs the law allowing concealed weapons in campus buildings will bring to our courses, pedagogies, freedom of speech and finally, our security and lives. Continue reading Statement from The Department of Spanish and Portuguese →