The ASUO Senate passed the conceal-carry resolution brought to them by four of their members Wednesday evening. The purpose of the resolution was to declare the Senate’s position on the conceal-carry rules surrounding the school.
The resolution reasons that a ban on conceal-carry weapons is not a Second Amendment restriction after a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2010 stated schools were considered a “sensitive” place, and thus laws barring firearms were not restricted.@@wow…i did not know that@@
It also points out that the primary purpose of guns is to cause lethal bodily harm, unlike other sometimes dangerous — but not restricted — counterparts like cars and knives.
“Aside from public safety officials, guns should not be allowed on campus” Sen. Ben Rudin@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Rudin@@ said.
Sens. Tom Schally,@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Schally@@  Jeremy Hedlund@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Jeremy+Hedlund@@ and Alexandra Flores-Quilty@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Flores-Quilty@@ were the other sponsors of the resolution.
Sens. Cassie Bruske@@http://asuo.uoregon.edu/senate.php?a=30@@ and Emma Newman@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Emma+Newman@@ questioned the language and statistics used in the resolution, leading to minor amendments before the resolution was passed with 16 yes votes and two abstentions.
Because some are afraid that this type of resolution would hinder the ability for DPS to gain the use of firearms,@@do they need them?@@ the authors specifically state that it is not connected with that decision.
“Nothing in this resolution shall be construed to support or oppose a sworn campus police force or the ownership and use of firearms outside of campus,” the resolution stated.
This resolution is the official stance from the ASUO Senate on this matter.
“I don’t anticipate any other actions taken, as the resolution is all we can really do as a Senate,” Rudin said.
Further down the road, this resolution will act as support from the Senate toward any attempts by the Oregon Legislature to ban carrying firearms on campus.
It also represents support toward the University administration and its recent efforts to create new policies that legally prohibit firearm use on campus.
So far, it is unclear exactly what the next steps will be taken, but Sen. Hedlund encouraged his fellow senators to attend some of the lobbying trips scheduled for this coming session.