DENVER—In light of a ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court allowing individuals with state concealed carry permits to carry handguns on college properties, the University of Colorado has amended its housing contracts, asking their undergraduate students to keep their weapons at home—well, their parents’ homes, or at least off campus. Graduate students who hold concealed carry permits can live in off-campus university housing, provided their weapons are stored in a safe within their units when they’re not carrying them. Resident advisers and faculty who live on campus must sign the same agreement.

When the Supreme Court made the ruling this past spring, the University of Colorado Board of Regents authorized the chancellors of CU-Boulder and CU-Colorado Springs to create a process to implement the decision on their campuses. The university policy bans the open display of weapons, including guns, explosives and knives, on campus for anyone other than law enforcement officials with badges. Students with CCPs can store their weapons at the CU Police Department on campus and can carry concealed handguns on campus and in school buildings, except for ticketed public venues, such as Folsom Field.

CU-Boulder’s announcement has garnered much attention, given the most recent attack, which involved a former University of Colorado graduate student who killed 12 people and injured scores more when he opened fire in a crowded Denver movie theater last month.

The school’s priority, say officials, is to balance civil liberties with the safety of its students, which is paramount. “I believe we have taken reasonable steps to adhere to the ruling of the Colorado Supreme Court, while balancing that with the priority of providing a safe environment for our students, faculty and staff,” CU-Boulder Chancellor Philip P. DiStefano comments.

While controversial, the policy would only impact a limited number of students and staff. Only individuals 21 years of age and over may obtain CCPs, so that rules out 96% of undergraduate students living in residence halls. Of the other 4%, about half of those living on campus are resident advisers who must adhere to the policy. In all, just 0.6% of University of Colorado students and staff possess a CCP. The announcement was made one week before students’ scheduled move-ins, which begin tomorrow.

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