Gun ban 'temporarily suspended'

The U lifted its longtime policy banning guns on campus Monday. University of Utah President Michael Young announced the decision in an e-mail addressed to students, faculty and staff, stating that the policy would be suspended "temporarily" until a resolution is met with state lawmakers. The change in policy came after the Utah Supreme Court released a ruling earlier this month stating that the campus ban on guns violated a 2004 state law prohibiting government entities from outlawing concealed firearms. Young had previously said the U would continue enforcing the ban despite the high court ruling. "(Having guns on campus) jeopardizes the ability to have free and open debate," Young told The Chronicle hours after the court ruling was announced. "You want people to feel completely free to discuss ideas." In response to Young's comments, Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said the policy could not be legally enforced and that concealed-weapons-permit owners who violate the ban would have a direct legal defense. In the decision released Monday, Young said the U, along with Shurtleff's office, has requested that a federal lawsuit over the gun policy be postponed to allow for discussion between the U and state leaders about a "a possible legislative accommodation" on the gun law. The U had planned to challenge the state Supreme Court's ruling on the basis that the first and fourteenth amendments give universities the right to govern firearm possession as a part of academic affairs. U students had mixed reactions to the announcement. Breanne Miller, president of the College Democrats, said she supported the ban, but doesn't think Monday's announcement will change much. "I don't really feel like it's going to have a big impact either way," she said. Alex Crane, a junior in chemical engineering, disagreed. He said background checks required to buy a gun make it difficult for criminals to get their hands on them. "It's quite a process to get a gun these days," he said. Crane said that having responsible gun users on campus could even prevent shootings. U administrators refused to comment on the decision beyond the e-mail. "We'll let the statement stand for itself," said Coralie Alder, spokeswoman for the U.