COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Following the 2012 CO 17 ruling on March 5, 2012 by the Colorado Supreme Court, students with state-issued concealed carry permits at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, along with all public higher education institutions in Colorado, will be allowed to do so on university or college properties.
UCCS, however, will contractually define concealed carry in campus student housing. Students and others with a Concealed Carry permit will be contractually bound not to carry in housing designated for freshmen. The occupants of freshman housing are generally under the age of 21 and are not eligible to receive concealed carry permits under Colorado law. Additionally, UCCS will condition admittance to large campus events, including those involving Mountain Lion athletics, upon the attendee’s agreement not to bring any weapons to those events.
The terms for campus weapons were announced Aug. 16 by UCCS Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak. University classes begin Aug. 20. UCCS consulted with students, faculty, staff, parents, concealed carry permit advocates, police, and military advisers and reviewed campus gun policies from across the nation in making its decision.
“The safety of our students, faculty, staff and visitors is a top priority,” Shockley-Zalabak said. “UCCS will implement all practices as directed by the CU Board of Regents with this priority in mind and in accordance with state and federal law.”
UCCS will continue to follow the CU Board of Regents policy that prevents the open display of weapons including guns, explosives and knives on campus. Only law enforcement officials who display their badges are allowed to openly display weapons while on campus.
Students who have obtained a Concealed Carry permit and who wish to live in campus housing should contact the University Police to understand the options available to them. These options include securing the weapon with the campus police or, if living in non-freshmen housing, locking the weapon in an approved gun safe when the weapon is not carried. In all cases, university officials must be kept informed of the status of the Concealed Carry permit. Students who violate the terms of their housing contract may be excluded from university housing.
Among the requirements for Colorado Concealed Carry permits are that the holder must be more than 21 years of age, complete an FBI background check, and have either previous military or police experience or proof of completion of a firearms training course.
UCCS, located on Austin Bluffs Parkway in Colorado Springs, is one of the fastest growing universities in the nation. The University offers 36 bachelor’s degrees, 19 master’s, and five doctoral degrees. The campus enrolls about 9,300 students annually. For more information, visit www.uccs.edu.