Carry options on college campus?

[clintbailey]

Can anyone simplify the carry laws on state university campus's? I'm guessing a student won't be able to keep one in a dorm, but what about their vehicle? And I know leaving one in a vehicle is never a great idea, just weighing some options for my daughter. TIA

 

[T. MIKE SMITH]

Generally, it is unlawful for any individual to knowingly possess a firearm within a school zone. A school zone is defined as being within a distance of 1,000 feet from the grounds of a public, parochial, or private school.

(B) (A) Gun Free School Zone Notice - Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco ...​

www.atf.gov/firearms/docs/guide/gun-free-school-zone-notice-atf-p-53101/dow

 

[Jason Freeland]

No go zone unfortunately. I have heard of campus police departments that will hold firearms for range trips, but I've never used one for that before. You might ask if that is of interest.

 

[SoonerP226]

It has been a little while since I’ve been on campus, but OU’s policy, at least on the Norman campus, was to follow state law in regards to carry in vehicles, so keeping a gun secured in your car shouldn’t be an issue. (There was a question about whether or not the state’s protection of keeping a gun in your car applied to the University’s gated lots due to the wording of the statute, but, question or not, AFAIK they never attempted to cause anyone grief for keeping a firearm secured in a vehicle in any campus lot.)

Carrying a firearm on your person on campus, either open or concealed, is a strict no-no, but I never ran into a metal detector on campus in daily life (there were rare exceptions, like game day at Memorial Stadium), and I may or may not have known people who went with “concealed is concealed.” Just beware that carrying on campus carries a fairly steep cost if you get caught, as it is technically a violation of state law, and you can be arrested on the spot if you’re caught, not just asked to leave. (And yes, OUPD officers are commissioned law enforcement, and they can arrest you if you commit a crime on or adjacent to University property.)

Personally, I never felt the need to carry on campus in the nearly 30 years that it was part of my daily life, and I was on campus at all hours of the day and night over those years. That said, I’m a big ol’ boy and am usually paying attention to my surroundings, so my experience may not apply to everyone.

I will say that I always carried at least one knife (for the longest time, a Spyderco Police Model was in my right front pocket at all times), and it was not a secret that I did.

 

[Catt57]

Don't you know? The US Constitution doesn't apply to schools and universities.

 

[Rod Snell]

No person in possession of a valid handgun license issued pursuant to the provisions of the Oklahoma SelfDefense Act or who is carrying or in possession of a firearm as otherwise permitted by law or who is carrying or in possession of a machete, blackjack, loaded cane, hand chain or metal knuckles shall be authorized to carry the firearm, machete, blackjack, loaded cane, hand chain or metal knuckles into or upon any college, university or technology center school property, except as provided in this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, the following property shall not be construed to be college, university or technology center school property: 1. 2. 3. Any property set aside for the use or parking of any motor vehicle, whether attended or unattended, provided the firearm, machete, blackjack, loaded cane, hand chain or metal knuckles are carried or stored as required by law and the firearm, machete, blackjack, loaded cane, hand chain or metal knuckles are not removed from the motor vehicle without the prior consent of the college or university president or technology center school administrator while the vehicle is on any college, university or technology center school property; Any property authorized for possession or use of firearms, machetes, blackjacks, loaded canes, hand chains or metal knuckles by college, university or technology center school policy; and Any property authorized by the written consent of the college or university president or technology center school administrator, provided the written consent is carried with the firearm, machete, blackjack, loaded cane, hand chain or metal knuckles and the valid handgun license while on college, university or technology center school property.
osbi.ok.gov/sites/g/files/gmc476/f/2023_LAWBOOK_11012023v2.pdf

 

[Dmc707]

Personally, I never felt the need to carry on campus in the nearly 30 years that it was part of my daily life, and I was on campus at all hours of the day and night over those years. That said, I’m a big ol’ boy and am usually paying attention to my surroundings, so my experience may not apply to everyone.

I will say that I always carried at least one knife (for the longest time, a Spyderco Police Model was in my right front pocket at all times), and it was not a secret that I did.

The guy at Va. Tech a few years back would have been impressed with your physical size and your Spyderco

 

[clintbailey]

I figured as much, but wanted to hear about it from someone with possible experience, either from themselves or children. I still don't like the thought of leaving one in a vehicle, but might be an option I guess.

 

[SoonerP226]

The guy at Va. Tech a few years back would have been impressed with your physical size and your Spyderco

And if one of the 9/11 hijackers had decided to park his plane in my building, I'd have been proper f**ked, too, but I don't spend a lot of time worrying about events that, statistically, are not going to happen.

My point was not that I'm some badass who's prepared for anything, it's that my physicality has an impact on my risk assessment. I know it's not politically correct to talk about the differences between men and women, but there are differences, and they count when you're evaluating risk. As a 6'2" grown-ass man, walking the campus at 2am is a different risk calculation for me than it would be for my 5'6" 19 year old niece. Considering that he was asking about options for his daughter, I thought that was an important factor for his consideration.

I'm also saying that there are avenues open for defensive weapons even in non-permissive environments like college campuses. Maybe she can't carry a gun, but a blade is a definite possibility, at least on some campuses.

 

[SoonerP226]

I figured as much, but wanted to hear about it from someone with possible experience, either from themselves or children. I still don't like the thought of leaving one in a vehicle, but might be an option I guess.

If you get something like a Console Vault, I wouldn't worry too much about leaving it in the car. That's for OU's Norman campus. If you're talking about, f'rinstance, the Health Sciences Center in OKC, that's not a particularly nice part of town (probably its proximity to the Capitol), so I wouldn't leave anything in a vehicle unless it was in a locked container that's bolted to the vehicle.