discussion 1

Transcript: Colleges Prepare for Start of Campus Carry

Male News Person in Studio: Now kids are going back to college and for some, they’ll be packing more than just books. New Campus Carry law start officially next week on August 1st. CBS 11’s Joel Thomas live on the UTA campus in Arlington with how one campus is regulating where gun owners can live. Tell us more.

Reporter (Joel Thomas): Well, all the campuses have to do some things the same, like they have to put up signs telling people where they can and can’t take guns. And other campuses do things differently. At UTA they have made sure that all their guidelines are online and easy for students to find. And all of this is just trying to balance between student rights and student fears.

Student Stephanie Plancarte: I’m going to school to learn not to expect somebody to come and shoot you.

Reporter: Campus Carry is divisive even among families. Stephanie Plancarte is a UNT senior.

Stephanie Plancarte: Because it is scary, you’re just coming to school. Why would you want to know that the person sitting next to you has a gun?

Reporter: Stephanie’s brother is about to start college.

Student (Jonathon Plancarte): For me, like, if I had a gun right now and I came here to UNT, like that would make me feel safe because what if there was a shooting? I could probably try to do something about it.

Reporter: State schools have struggled to make both sides comfortable as Monday’s deadline to start Campus Carry approaches. New signs on arenas, theaters, and stadiums restrict where guns are allowed. UNT restricts carriers living on campus to a single dormitory building with no roommates, and a gun lock box provided in the room. James Abbott attends UT Austin but he is visiting UNT where his brother will attend. He says UT has been in turmoil over Campus Carry.

Student (James Abbott): It’s been on my mind probably about as much as anybody else. You know, they send out emails all the time from the administration.

Reporter: But Campus Carry hasn’t factored at all into his brother's decision to attend UNT.

Student (James Abbott): It’s not something that he’s really brought up.

Reporter: Administrators say the reality is they don’t expect too many gun carriers on campus. The reasons? Well, you have to be over 21 to get your license in the first place and there’s only a small percentage of Texans who actually have concealed carry licenses. Reporting live, Joel Thomas, CBS 11 News.

Male News Person in Studio: JT thanks. We have reached out to other local campuses about this concealed carry law. We are told the new signs explaining the new rules are up at Texas Women’s University in Denton. Private universities like Texas Wesleyan, SMU, and TCU, they have all opted out.

End transcritpt.