In May of 2015, the Texas House of Representatives voted 98-47 in favor of a bill that would allow Texas' concealed-carry license holders to carry weapons onto state and private university campuses, which Texas' governor Greg Abbott quickly signed into law.
Set to take effect in the fall of 2016, the new mandate has obligated university presidents to a series of tasks related to implementing the measure. For example, public opinion regarding the limited placement of "gun-free zones" must be sought and considered. Proper signage referencing the Texas penal code must also be purchased and installed throughout the campus in an effort to keep citizens informed of the law.
On the July broadcast of The President's Perspective, A&M-Commerce president Dr. Dan Jones introduces the subject of "campus carry," explaining how the new law can and will likely affect his university. Detective Sergeant Kyle Lowe of the Texas A&M University-Commerce Police Department joins Jones to report on the many ways in which the police continue to be involved in gun-related safety on campus, including plans for a public awareness training course that would serve to inform the general public of the manner in which the new law applies to them.
The President's Perspective airs on the first Wednesday of each month at noon and again at 5pm, and is produced at KETR's studio facility in historic Binnion Hall on the campus of Texas A&M University-Commerce.
