LARAMIE, Wyo. — The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees voted 6-5 Friday against a proposal that would have extended concealed carry on campus.
Concealed carry permit holders are currently allowed to carry firearms on university open spaces but not inside facilities, classrooms, and faculty offices. The proposed measure would have allowed people over 21 with concealed carry permits to carry concealed handguns into most of the buildings on campus, excluding residence halls, Half Acre Recreation and Wellness Center, and the Early Care and Education Center, Laramie Boomerang reports.
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The vote closed out days of debate and public comment. Trustee Laura Schmid-Pizzato, who is a gun owner, said she could not support the rule change as she estimated nearly 95% of all public comment, survey responses, and additional communications were against allowing concealed carry in UW facilities, according to Wyoming News.
Trustee Michelle Sullivan said testimonial from students persuaded her to vote against the measure.
“Based on what I have heard from this community, and my own knowledge of human development and adolescent development, I cannot support the change of this rule,” she said.
Proponents Point to Gun-Free Zone Legislation
Some of the trustees who voted for the measure said no matter what the board decides, during the 2025 session, the Wyoming Legislature will again attempt to eliminate the state’s gun-free zones, rendering current UW regulations moot, Cowboy State Daily reports. However, in March, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon rejected similar legislation that would have allowed people with concealed carry permits to bring firearms into most public spaces overseen by the state.
“I’m going to gently encourage all the trustees to physically go to the Legislature, and you have to express your concerns and provide solutions, so our current regulation — as I heard it expressed is the preference — remains,” said board chairman Kermit Brown, who voted for the measure. “You’ve got to appear over there, and if you don’t, I think we are going to have a result that you like a lot less than this rule. I don’t want to front-run the Legislature either, but the handwriting is on the wall.”
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Trustee Macey Moore, who opposed the proposal, said the trustees worked diligently to create a policy that might satisfy lawmakers’ concerns, particularly those who support a repeal of the state’s gun-free zones, while also excluding parts of campus that community members clearly stated they do not want firearms allowed.
“[Those exclusions] make it feel slightly safer, but that is just the problem for me. Why are we changing our regulation, and carving out additional items to make us feel slightly safer?” she continued. “This seems like a giant disruption to our mission, and I feel like we are being pushed into this to appease something that might be coming, and might be even worse. I just can’t do that.”
State Superintendent Megan Degenfelder released a statement Sunday voicing her disappointment in the decision.
“The decision by the University of Wyoming Board of Trustees (UWBOT) to reject campus concealed carry is a step in the wrong direction for safety, freedom, and local governance. Our Second Amendment rights don’t stop at the campus gate,” she said. ”The UWBOT failed to take ownership of this issue by passing a policy specific to the University. The Legislature must now take action to protect constitutional rights and the safety of our University campus.”
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The topic of concealed carry on college campuses remains an ongoing debate in various states. In February, the Arizona Senate passed a bill that would prevent colleges and universities from restricting concealed carry by lawful permit holders. In West Virginia, as of July 1, concealed carry permit holders are allowed to carry concealed handguns on public college and university campuses.
Campus Safety has compiled a running list of states that allow concealed handguns on campus. We keep this as up-to-date as possible (to the best of our ability) as things change. ALWAYS check with your state legislature for the most up-to-date laws and policies.
