Mary Katherine Francisco, ‘Doah Staff Writer
February 4, 2015

Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC) is a national, non-partisan organization composed of more than 43,000 members including college students and professors. University of North Texas Political Science major Chris Brown established SCCC following the Virginia Tech shooting in 2007. The organization believes that those with state-issued concealed handguns should be allowed to have their handguns on all college campuses. Members believe that validation of concealed carry permits on campus will help protect fellow students during shooting rampages. The organization uses school shootings and armed abductions as factual evidence when attempting to change college policies.

After the 2014 Florida State University shooting, Florida Representative Greg Steube passed a bill that would add colleges to the state’s concealed carry statute. If the bill is passed, Florida will join Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Mississippi, Oregon, Utah, and Wisconsin in states that recognize concealed carry permits on college campuses. Twenty-three states allow the individual colleges to independently make their own decisions. SCCC has regional and state directors along with state representatives to expand their ideology. Virginia campus leaders are students from George Mason, James Madison, and Virginia Commonwealth universities. Despite the deadly Virginia Tech shooting, Virginia continues to prohibit concealed weapons on college campuses.

SCCC does not advocate teachers, students or other school employees carrying concealed weapons on k-12 school properties. The organization’s only goal is to allow people 21 years and older to have their concealed carry permits recognized on college campuses. SCCC holds conferences to teach about gun safety and gun laws. Dr. John Lott, author of “More Guns, Less Crime,” and head of Crime Prevention Research Center assisted in the third national Students for Concealed Carry on Campus conference. The conference took place in Washington, D.C. in August 2014 and was recorded by C-SPAN. Students from colleges nationwide, victims of crimes that occurred on gun-free campuses and state legislators were in attendance.

If you believe Shenandoah University and other Virginia colleges should recognize valid concealed carry permits, call the Washington, D.C. office of Congresswoman Barbara Comstock at (202) 225-5136.