The University of Houston’s (UH) faculty senate has issued a strong set of warnings to professors suggesting they avoid controversial topics in order to avoid provoking armed students.
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“Drop certain topics from your curriculum”, it warns. The university was quick to point out that the recommendations are not official university policy, but faculty members say the suggestions reflect how many of their colleagues are thinking about protecting themselves and their students under campus carry.
Versions of slides the UH Faculty Senate prepared for a forum to discuss the “campus carry” law.
Fenves’ rules largely ban concealed carry in dorms, but allow them in dining halls, classrooms and off-campus apartments.
Baylor University, a Baptist school in Waco, announced this month that guns would not be allowed on campus.
A Campus Carry Work Group comprised of members of the administration, faculty and student body are tasked with developing the campus carry policy for UH.
“While the University President may not generally prohibit license holders from carrying concealed weapons on the campus, the law gives public universities some discretion to regulate campus carry including designating certain areas on campus where concealed handguns are prohibited”, a statement posted by the university’s police department reads.
But many educators across the state have argued that academic freedom and open discourse would be limited by allowing guns in classrooms. The University of Texas – Austin made it clear it too opposed the bill, but abided by it nonetheless.
The University of Houston police department notes that firearms are presently banned in university buildings.
“Advocates of campus carry will maintain that the law shouldn’t make any difference in curriculum – or create concerns – but judging by the many discussions going on at campuses statewide, those concerns are widespread”.
But Jacob Smith, who supports the law and teaches at the university while working toward a doctorate in economics, tells the Houston Chronicle ( http://bit.ly/1KMs1Wz ) the concerns are “an absolutely unfounded fear”.
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“Academics know the intrusion of gun culture into campus inevitably harms academic culture”, Snow told the Board of Regents. The slide was written by the UH Faculty Senate, according to the spokesperson.
