by Steven O. Janosik
NASPA Journal, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 401-414
(Official website of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators)
A Case Study: Gun Possession on College Campuse
Gun control is a hotly debated issue in this country.
This debate notwithstanding, many college administrators have decided that guns should not be allowed on campus.
In a recent study (“NationalSurvey,” 2003), researchers found that 80% of the campuses surveyed prohibited guns altogether or exercised strict control on gun possession. The remaining 20% required gun registration or prior authorization.
College administrators have acted on notion that they should
be able to create reasonable rules to maintain order and ensure the
integrity of the academic mission of the institution. Bickel and Lake
(1999) suggest that this deference by judges to higher education as a
special environment may be changing. By using both of the mecha-
nisms described in this paper college administrators can become more
aware of how the issue of gun possession is developing and begin to
plan their response.
