UT Austin president OK’s guns in class

The president of Texas’ largest university said Wednesday that guns will be allowed in classrooms once the state’s new campus-carry law goes into effect Aug. 1.

Gregory Fenves, president of the 50,950-student University of Texas at Austin, has been caught between the law passed by the Legislature last year and a strong protest movement among the school’s 3,090 faculty members.

Among the protesters has been the university’s only Nobel Prize winner, physicist Steven Weinberg, who has said he will ban guns from his classes. He’s also said he might retire rather than face a confrontation with university administrators.

Following the recommendations of a campus task force, Fenves said guns will be banned from most dorm rooms. That’s been less of an issue at UT Austin, since permit holders must be at least 21 years old and most of the school’s dorm residents are younger than that.

Concealed weapons previously were allowed on public university campuses but not inside buildings. Open-carry handguns, made legal by other legislative action last year, are still banned on university campuses.

Private universities are allowed to decide for themselves whether to allow guns on campus. The Texas Tribune has reported that 24 private schools across the state have said they will ban guns, while none have said guns will be allowed.

Baylor University, a private school in Waco, announced its ban to the campus community on Tuesday. In Tarrant County, Texas Christian University, Texas Wesleyan University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary also have said they will ban guns.

Other large, public universities are still developing policies, including Texas A&M University in College Station.

Protest has long been part of the culture at UT Austin, and both faculty and students have put pressure on Fenves, particularly on guns in the classroom.

Professors formed the group Gun Free UT, and members told The Texas Tribune they have hired lawyers to explore a possible lawsuit.

Proponents say campus-carry makes the schools safer because people can defend themselves.

Protesting faculty members have expressed fear that an armed student who is given a failing grade will pose a threat.

Given the law, Fenves has taken the only approach open to him.

He said he has “significant concerns” about the law’s effect on recruiting and retaining faculty and students, but all he can do now is wait and see.

If problems develop, the Legislature can revisit the issue when it convenes in January.

This story was originally published February 17, 2016 at 6:03 PM with the headline "UT Austin president OK’s guns in class."