The national conversation on how to reduce gun violence has continued after more than 300 mass shootings in 2015, according to the Mass Shooting Tracker. In Madison, the debate has resulted in proposed legislation that would allow concealed weapons in university buildings.
UW-Madison public affairs professor Donald Moynihan moved to Madison from Texas in 2005. He thought his move would be a step away from what he considered too lenient of gun laws in Texas.
“I would see signs on libraries and coffee shops that said, ‘you can’t bring your gun here,’ and I thought it was a very Texas thing that seemed so odd to me at the time," Moynihan said. "When I moved to Wisconsin, I sort of believed this would be a different kind of environment. But now we have those signs on our coffee shops and our libraries too.”
According to a report by gun control advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety, Wisconsin is one of six states to allow guns on campus grounds but prohibit guns in university buildings. Only two states—Utah and Colorado—actually allow concealed carry permit holders to bring their weapons in campus buildings.
Wisconsin could soon become the third state on that list. State Rep. Jesse Kremer, R-Kewaskum, and state Sen. Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, formally introduced a bill in early October to allow concealed carry permit holders to bring firearms into university buildings. The bill is an expansion of similar legislation passed in 2011.
The bill has gained five senate and 20 Republican Assembly co-sponsors, yet has not been voted for at a public hearing.
“It’s reflective of the current policy-making process in this state, which is that legislators are just throwing out ideas when they haven’t consulted with the stakeholders who will be affected,” Moynihan said. “They’re driven largely by their ideological preferences, not any of the underlying evidence.”
Moynihan is not alone in his opposition of the bill.
A letter from the UW System police chiefs to Wisconsin legislators cited several reasons for their opposition to the bill, detailing that studies show a higher gun presence leads to more gun violence. It also said there has been no evidence that concealed carry on college campuses leads to greater safety.
Some students and faculty are concerned that firearms in the classroom would affect their abilities to learn and teach.
“If you’re teaching a policy class where people tend to have strong opinions, for example, politics of the Middle East or the politics of abortion rights, or even discussing general public policy where people might have ideological disagreements—having guns in a classroom would have a chilling effect on discussion,” Moynihan said.
“It undercuts the potential for learning. I would feel incredibly uncomfortable in that environment.
On the other hand, proponents of the bill state they have the right to defend themselves against attack by means of the Second Amendment.
Zeph Ducheny, a UW-Madison senior and concealed carry permit holder, said he believes trusting others with your safety is not enough in this day and age.
“You can’t even bring a knife to a gunfight anymore,” Ducheny said. “Being able to fight back with a weapon is something that I believe should be an exercisable right.”
Ideological differences aside, proponents and opponents, Democrats and Republicans alike have indicated that the bill, as it is, should be modified. Some propose modifications which would include more extensive security screenings and mandatory training while others call for a step in the opposite direction altogether.
UW Athletic Guest Services employee Mary Millon wishes for UW-Madison to become a gun-free campus.
According to Millon, as a receptionist in the Kohl Center, she feels less safe knowing people could enter the building armed. Millon describes her job as the “front line” of service where she must screen everyone who walks in. She said that she would feel unprepared to screen people who may be legally concealing firearms.
With certain exemptions such as security or research purposes, Moynihan also said he would support UW-Madison in becoming a gun-free campus.
The possibility is not completely out of reach.
Three Wisconsin Democrats proposed a bill that would make carrying firearms on Wisconsin colleges and universities a class I felony, which could lead to fines up to $10,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three-and-a-half years.
Official responses to the prospect of gun-free campuses are still unclear.
“All I know is our leadership here—they don’t want more guns on our campus,” said UW-Madison Police Department Public Information Officer Marc Lovicott. “We think that the law as it stands right now works, and is appropriate.”
