Policy Library
Page tree
Skip to end of metadata
Go to start of metadata

 Policy Library Home

7-5: Weapons Prohibited on Campus

* Issued: 11-3-98
* Revised: June 2012


Legislative Declaration: The Board of Trustees for Fort Lewis College has general supervision of the College and plenary power to enact rules and regulations for the governance of the College.  The Board of Trustees has delegated to the President of the College the power and duty to adopt such policies as are reasonable and necessary for the proper conduct of the operations and activities of the College, provided those policies are lawful and consistent with the bylaws, policies and procedures set forth in the Board's Manual of Policies and Procedures.  The President of the College finds and determines that the free and unregulated possession of weapons on the Fort Lewis College campus would:

  1. Create an unreasonable risk to the health, welfare and safety of students, employees and campus visitors and the preservation of property on the Fort Lewis College campus by careless or malicious use;
  2. Create a climate of fear and intimidation that would distract and interfere with the reasoned discourse and cooperation required for productive learning and working environments on Fort Lewis College campus; and
  3. Be inconsistent with the academic mission of Fort Lewis College.

The following policy is lawful and is not inconsistent with the bylaws, policies and procedures set forth in the Board's Manual of Policies and Procedures:

Statement of Policy: Except as expressly provided below, the possession of firearms, explosive or incendiary devices, or other weapons on the Fort Lewis College campus is prohibited.  This prohibition shall extend to all grounds and buildings on the Fort Lewis College campus.

This policy shall apply to all students, employees and invitees of Fort Lewis College and all other visitors to the Fort Lewis College campus.

'Weapons' include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Firearms of any size or type of construction and ammunition;
  2. Gas or air guns, including BB, pellet and paint ball guns;
  3. Bows and arrows, and cross-bows;
  4. Blackjacks, bludgeons, batons, nunchaku, throwing stars, and metallic knuckles;
  5. Swords, pikes, lances and spears;
  6. Any knife with a blade over 3.5 inches in length, including hunting and fishing knives;
  7. Ballistic, gravity and switchblade knives, regardless of the length of the blade;
  8. Fireworks, gunpowder, or explosive substances; and
  9. Any harmless object designed to look convincingly like a firearm, explosive or incendiary device, or other weapon.

Exceptions.  This policy shall not apply to:

  1. A peace officer, as described in § 16-2.5-101, C.R.S., when carrying a weapon in conformance with the policy of his/her employing agency as provided in § 16-2.5-101(2).
  2. A member of the armed forces of the United States or Colorado National Guard while acting in his/her official capacity and in conformance with general or specific military orders.
  3. A law enforcement officer, agent or employee of the United States, when lawfully carrying a weapon in conformance with the policy of his/her employing agency.
  4. A person carrying a concealed handgun who holds a valid written permit issued pursuant to § 18-12-201, et seq., C.R.S.  This exception shall not apply to residents of any Fort Lewis College campus housing, including residence halls, apartments and family housing apartments, who shall be required as a contractual condition of their residency to waive their right to possess and carry concealed handguns in Fort Lewis College campus housing.
  5. A weapon that remains inside a locked motor vehicle while on the Fort Lewis College campus, provided that the weapon is unloaded.  This exception shall not apply to explosive or incendiary devices or explosive substances.
  6. A kitchen knife with a blade over 3.5 inches in length which is kept in campus apartments or kitchens for the purpose of food preparation.  This exception shall not apply to residence halls.
  7. A student, employee or invitee of Fort Lewis College who has a legitimate educational or employment related purpose for the possession of a weapon on the Fort Lewis College campus and has obtained written permission from the appropriate campus office and from the Chief of the Fort Lewis College Campus Police Department or his/her designee.

Violations.  All violations of this policy shall be reported to the Fort Lewis College Campus Police Department and the appropriate College office.  Violators may be disciplined (in the case of students or employees of the College), banned from the Fort Lewis College campus, and criminally prosecuted in appropriate cases.

Procedures and Guidelines.  The College vice presidents are authorized to promulgate such procedures and guidelines as may be reasonable and necessary to implement and carry out the intent of this policy in their respective areas of authority.