I find it ironic that the State of Wyoming is currently spearheading an effort in the U.S. Supreme Court challenging another state’s concealed carry permit system given the attitude of its only four year institution.
The issue at hand in the USSC case: showing a justifiable need for concealed carry. UW seems to think that it can ignore the opinion of Governor Mead when he says that the justifiable need clause “impacts the right to keep and bear arms outside of the home.”
UW is the largest entity in Laramie and forces lawful carrying individuals to sidestep a whole host of imaginary boundaries in their exercise of the laws of Wyoming. UWPD currently has no formal application process for gaining approval to conceal carry on campus. Instead the currently system involves directly speaking to Chief Mike Samp.
This was the same process that was in place when Chief Troy Lane was in charge of UWPD. I personally had that conversation with Chief Lane and was told that no permits were issued and that “we all have bosses.” This makes it clear to me that the directive comes down from Old Main and that there is in fact a blanket restriction on concealed carry despite what Public Relations would have people believe.
Indeed, former President Tom Buchanan testified against a similar bill of removing UW’s gun free zone designation to the Wyoming Senate a year ago. According to reporting by USA Today five states, Colorado, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah and Wisconsin, allow firearms on public university campuses and multiple campuses in Pennsylvania do as well.
Furthermore, Idaho passed legislation in its Senate today that would allow for carrying firearms on campus by licensed individuals and Kansas changed its definition this year to remove restrictions from government buildings including those on university campuses. Perhaps Wyoming can catch up, but that remains to be seen.
Scott E. Culhane, Ph.D.
University of Wyoming
Department of Criminal Justice, 3197
1000 E. University Ave.
Laramie, WY 82071
