By VICTORIA SCHNAUFER
Student Reporter
Associate Vice President for University Relations Steve Valencia posted a controversial status on Northwestern’s s social media accounts Feb. 10.
Northwestern’s Facebook post read: ”There’s no scenario where allowing guns on college campuses makes them safer for students/employees/visitors. No guns on campus! #InvestInHigherEd.” It also was posted on Northwestern’s official Twitter page. The post was an edited version off the Oklahoma higher education regents official Twitter page; @OKHigherEd posted, “No scenario where allowing guns on campuses makes them safer for students/faculty/staff/visitors. No guns on campus! #InvestInHigherEd.”
During Higher Education Day at the capitol in Oklahoma City, two pieces of legislation were brought before the senate that would allow all people with a concealed carry license to carry a gun on state campuses.
Valencia said, “Government offices want to allow guns in my work place, but they don’t permit them in theirs. Northwestern and public colleges are opposing the legislation that has been presented. This is a campus safety issue and NOT a Second Amendment issue.”
This post spurred a social media debate on Northwestern’s Facebook page that consisted of students, alumni and concerned parents. There were over 80 comments on the Facebook feed. A limited amount of posts were positive, but the majority were negative.
Valencia said, “Northwestern, along with all other state colleges in Oklahoma support the current law concerning concealed weapons. People that were upset about that need to realize that it is a statewide law and all 25 Oklahoma colleges and public universities support the current law.”
The Oklahoma law states that no person, even with a valid handgun license, is allowed to carry a gun on their person on any state school property in Oklahoma unless they have written consent from the university president or technology center school administrator and a valid handgun license. A handgun can be carried or stored in a vehicle in any parking lot with a valid handgun license but cannot be removed without prior consent of the college or university president or technology school administrator.
Valencia said, “Over 7,200 people like our Facebook page and about 24 separate people had a response to the post. I believe there will be no backlash on recruitment because the other state schools have the same outlook on the current law that we do.”
Despite the controversy, Northwestern did not remove the post. Valencia said, “We encourage debate and dialog among students. We hope that the students could do it in a civil manner and not call names.”