Regents revise policy to reflect law, Supreme Court decision on concealed carry

The University of Colorado Board of Regents on Wednesday revised its weapons policy to reflect the recent Colorado Supreme Court decision regarding concealed carry.

The changes to Regent Policy 14-I were approved unanimously by the board at its meeting at the University of Colorado Boulder.

CU’s previous policy, in place since 1970, prohibited weapons, including guns, on the university’s four campuses. In March, the Supreme Court rejected CU’s appeal of a lawsuit challenging the weapons policy brought by Students for Concealed carry, which argued the state’s concealed carry law applied to CU campuses. The Supreme Court ruled, that the university could not prohibit concealed-carry permit holders.

Patrick O’Rourke, the university system’s chief legal officer and secretary to the Board of Regents, told the board that the revisions were drafted to reflect the Supreme Court ruling, and also to reflect the authority delegated by the board to the campus chancellors to determine the best course of action.

In August, the University of Colorado Boulder and University of Colorado Colorado Springs announced they would amend their student housing contracts in response to the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling. Both campuses established a residential area for residents over age 21 who possess a valid concealed carry permit (at CU-Boulder, University Apartment Graduate Housing). For other residential areas, the student housing contracts do not permit residents to engage in concealed carry. Attendees at ticketed athletics and cultural events on both campuses also are not permitted to engage in concealed carry.