GUNS IN AMERICA: UTEP Professor Takes Stand Against Senate Bill 11

UTEP Journalism professor David Smith-Soto is taking a stand.

Shortly after Senate Bill 11, allowing for concealed guns on college campuses, he hung a small “no guns” sign outside his classroom door.

“When those yahoos over in Austin decided they were going to put guns in my classroom, it was personal, ” Smith-Soto said.

“It’s a really wide range of people because we really wanted to hear perspective from everyone,” said UTEP Vice President of Student Affairs, Gary Edens.

Edens is chairing UTEP’s concealed campus carry task force.

The 26-member committee made up of faculty, staff, student and parent representatives.

They have until December 1, 2016 to develop a plan for how to implement the new law, which will include some exclusion zones.

“It’s things like a daycare, it’s things like a laboratory where maybe there are flammable gases,” says Edens. “So, we have to be very strategic and logical about what those are.”

In all likelihood Smith-Soto’s classroom will not be in the exclusion zone, but he doesn’t seem to care.

“I’m in total control of my situation,” said Smith-Soto. “If somebody with a gun wants to come into my classroom, I’ll call the class, shut the door and walk away.”

ABC-7 asked Edens what would happen if a student or professor does not follow the law.

“That’s what the task force is figuring out,” Eden said. “What’s the conduct? What’s the violation? What’s the process? What are the policies?”

UTEP will be hosting public forums on concealed campus carry this month.

The dates and times will be announced next week. For now, you can weigh-in by sending the task force an email at campuscarry@utep.edu.

Senate bill 11 takes effect August 1st of next year at universities and then one year later at community colleges.