Consistent with the College’s commitment to provide a safe and secure environment, the College maintains a policy prohibiting any individual from possessing, carrying, displaying, brandishing, discharging or otherwise having control of or using firearms or weapons either on his person or in his vehicle anywhere on College property or in any College buildings, even if that person has a valid federal or state license to possess a weapon or firearm. College employees are similarly prohibited from possessing, carrying, displaying, brandishing, discharging or otherwise having control of or using firearms or weapons in the performance of duties or when performing work on behalf of the College, whether on or off of College property, except as expressly outlined below.
The prohibitions of this policy extend to all property, including parking areas, sidewalks and common areas, owned, leased or controlled by the College where activities, programs or classes are held or College work or business is performed, including College vehicles. The prohibitions of this policy also apply when the College property is used for public or private gatherings. The prohibitions of this policy extend to concealed firearms, meaning a loaded or unloaded handgun carried on or about that person completely or mostly concealed from view of the public or in the vehicle of that person, even if an individual has a permit for “concealed carry” pursuant to Public Act 98-0063, the Firearm Concealed Carry Act
As a limited exception to the prohibitions on weapons in this policy, individuals licensed to carry a concealed firearm may transport a firearm into the parking areas on College property at the [Godfrey Campus, N.O. Nelson campus in Edwardsville, the Confluence campus, the Macoupin County Community Education Center, the Tri-County Community Education Center, Scott Bibb Adult Education Center and the Bethalto Training Center] if the firearm and its ammunition remain locked in a case out of plain view within the parked vehicle or in the vehicle’s trunk. Any licensed individual must immediately, upon parking the vehicle in any of the College’s designated parking spaces, either: (a) store his or her firearm or ammunition in a secure case or locked container out of plain view within the vehicle or (b) store the firearm within the vehicle’s trunk. In the event the individual stores the firearm in the vehicle’s trunk, the individual must ensure that the firearm is unloaded at the time the individual exits the vehicle.
This policy does not prohibit the authorized use of a weapon or firearm used in connection with a weapons safety course or weapons education course offered in the regular course of College business or approved by the College; or the authorized use of a weapon or firearm by on-duty law enforcement and/or College security officer required to carry a weapon or firearm as a condition of his or her employment; or the use of a weapon or firearm in connection with College sanctioned classes, performances, athletics, or recreational sports practices, games, matches, tournaments or events on Campus when the activity requires the use of such weapons or firearms (e.g., starter pistols) and prior written approval has been received from the College. Similarly, this policy allows for active law enforcement officers who enter onto College property to carry a licensed or authorized service weapon provided that if the law enforcement officer enters College property outside of the officer’s assigned duty hours, the officer must notify the Security Department that the officer has brought an allowed weapon on to College property. Persons who violate any of the terms of this Policy shall be subject to all civil and criminal penalties as provided by law. In addition:
- Any student found to be in violation of this Policy is subject to suspension or expulsion from the College.
- Any College employee found to be in violation of this Policy is subject to suspension or termination of employment.
- Any third person (meaning, an individual who is neither an employee nor a student) found to be in violation of this Policy is subject to exclusion from any College property or facility for a period of not less than one (1) calendar year.
Revised Dec. 8, 2015