Students at James Madison University staged a demonstration earlier this month promoting the carrying of concealed weapons on college campuses, but the Office of Public Safety and some AU students agree that guns are not necessary to ensure safety on campus.
The AU student Code of Conduct forbids students from having or using any weapon, including "firearms, fireworks, explosives, metal knuckles, knives or any other instrument designed or used to inflict injury to person or property."
Public Safety Chief Michael McNair said he agrees with the policy.
"More often than not, the gun gets stolen or used on [the gun owner] or misused," he said.
McNair said he does not believe the Virginia Tech shooting could have been prevented if guns had been allowed on campus.
"At Virginia Tech all of the officers were armed and [the shooter] knew what he was up against," NcNair said. "It's not a deterrent."
Students at other universities have raised concerns about safety on their campuses.
During the James Madison University demonstration, one student entered a classroom and pretended to shoot the professor and students with his index finger. In 23 seconds, five people were "dead." When the scenario was repeated with a student also carrying a simulated concealed weapon, the shooter was stopped early on. Students for Concealed Carry performed the demonstration on Campus's JMU chapter, which suggests that students and faculty would be safer if allowed to carry concealed weapons.
In the light of school shootings at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech, school safety has become an increasingly relevant issue at AU as well.
AU recently implemented a policy that enables professors to identify students that may pose a risk and Public Safety is now working to improve its emergency responsiveness.
In the event of a shooting, Public Safety is currently dependent upon the Alert DC system to broadcast information and procedural instructions. Within the next few years, Public Safety will look into establishing a sound system to announce emergencies and broadcasting emergency messages onto campus televisions, McNair said.
McNair said he encourages all students to get on the Alert DC system, citing it as the most useful way to get emergency information out to students.
Officers are not equipped with firearms nor trained in how to apprehend a shooter. In the case of a more escalated incident, they would call in the Metropolitan Police Department. McNair said he does not think Public Safety officers need to carry guns in order to provide the campus with security.
Public Safety has a planned emergency procedure. They have practiced creating a perimeter with MPD. Each building's fire marshal is prepared to direct individuals to safety.
Maria Gomez, a College of Arts and Sciences professor, said she feels she has not been properly instructed on AU's emergency procedures.
"I feel 100 percent safe," she said. "But in an [emergency] situation, I don't know what to do."
Procedures are not explained to professors because they continually switch between buildings, McNair said.
To protect oneself without a gun, students should use shuttle buses and public transportation when possible, walk in groups and be aware of surroundings, he said.
"This is a pretty safe campus and, really, guns are not a very good solution," McNair said.
Jake Silva, a junior in the School of International Service, said he thinks guns are not necessary on AU's campus.
"I think of AU as one of the safest campuses," he said. "I don't think that students should arm themselves."
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