The University of Wyoming Board of Trustees postponed a decision Thursday on whether to adopt a concealed-carry policy for its campus after hearing from students, faculty, and staff, the majority of whom opposed the proposal, Wyo File reports.
The board plans to revisit the issue during a vote scheduled for Friday morning.
During the public comment period, attendees overwhelmingly voiced concerns about safety and gun violence, urging the board to maintain the current no-guns policy.
“University classrooms and faculty offices are places of ideas, contention, and academic rivalry—not places for weaponry,” faculty member Caroline McCracken-Flesher argued.
Student Liz Pearson highlighted other pressing campus issues, including mental health challenges and the impact of defunding the university’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion office. She also referenced a recent university survey indicating that 64.4% of respondents favored keeping the existing no-guns policy.
In response to feedback from earlier public meetings, trustees amended the draft policy to exclude certain areas, such as residence halls, the Early Care and Education Center, and Half Acre Recreation and Wellness Center. Despite these changes, critics argued that many educational spaces, including classrooms and faculty offices, remain unprotected under the proposal.
Support for the policy was limited but not absent. Brandon Calloway, a third-year law student, highlighted a contradiction in current rules. Concealed carry is already permitted in some outdoor campus areas, such as Prexy’s Pasture, but using a firearm for self-defense in those spaces could violate university policy.
“The proposal eliminates this contradiction,” Calloway said.
The discussion comes in response to a request from Governor Mark Gordon, who earlier this year vetoed a bill that would have removed most gun-free zones across the state, calling instead for local entities to address the issue transparently.
Trustees are also mindful of potential legislative action in the coming session. Trustee Chairman Kermit Brown acknowledged the likelihood of state lawmakers pushing for a statewide concealed-carry mandate, which could override any university-specific policies.
“This topic will come up in the Legislature again… We’re trying to find a position that maybe will be acceptable to the Legislature, but we don’t know whether they’ll accept it or cast all this aside,” Brown said.
The board’s final vote on the proposed policy is scheduled for Friday morning.
