Recently, debates have risen of whether or not concealed weapons accompanied by a license on a college campus should be prohibited or protected. Currently, no one is allowed to carry firearms of any kind, even if concealed, on any public or private school campus in Tennessee.

This issue has come up at UT, as a bill seeking to authorize handgun possession for full-time faculty and staff failed in March. With the Virginia Tech shooting, many students and staff believe that concealed weapons should be allowed for license-holders, in order to reduce the fear of not being able to protect one's self.

When asked about this, Alex Nipper, a sophomore at UT said, "I would feel good about this. It would make me feel safer, and I would probably carry a handgun around myself." 

A sign was recently put up in Massey Residence Hall, where sorority women reside stating, "Felony state law prescribes a maximum penalty of six (6) years imprisonment and a fine not to exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000) for carrying weapons on school property." As sorority housing moves to Laurel Hall in the fall, many are worried about the safety of the area. Laurel Hall is located in the Fort Sanders area, which has had many crime reports in the past year. Many students, specifically sorority women, are worried about their safety while walking in the late hours of the evening.

Students claim that being allowed to carry weapons of self-defense with a license would decrease their fears.

"I would be very uncomfortable walking from the library to Laurel Hall at night. I would feel safer if I was allowed to carry a weapon for protection," said Jessie Campbell, a sorority woman here at UT.

Most of the support for concealed weapons in the hands of rightful owners comes from thoughts that these firearms can be used solely as protectors against predators walking around the campus. This point has been argued and debated many times since the Virginia Tech shootings.

It must also be recognized that not everyone at the university agrees that weapons should be allowed on campus with a license. Many believe that this would increase the risk of crime on campus.

"It would scare me if anyone on campus could carry around a gun. There are too many crazy people in this world and there is no telling what could happen with hundreds of guns floating around UT's campus," Jill Thomson, a sophomore student stated.

 The controversy lies between students and faculty feeling that they should have the rights to protect themselves, yet others feeling that allowing weapons on campus could easily lead to another Virginia Tech incident. Due to the latter, UT has decided that firearms of any kind are currently not allowed on campus. The ban of weapons on college campuses is the norm for most universities across the United States.

 Although students are expressing their disapproval in this, this regulation is not subject to change any time in the near future.