Campus Carry to take effect Aug. 1

Concealed handguns will be permitted on Texas public university campuses beginning Aug. 1 to comply with a new law passed by the Texas Legislature last year.

At UTMB, members of a Campus Carry Committee began meeting last fall in anticipation of the law’s implementation this summer. After numerous meetings, discussion and study of the law, the committee made its recommendations, which were forwarded to UTMB President David L. Callender’s office. The UT System Board of Regents is expected to approve the recommendations at its meeting on July 13.

The committee, which was comprised of faculty, staff, student and community representatives, based its recommendations on input that it received from the university community.

The committee’s recommendations included the establishment of exclusion zones across UTMB’s three campuses and our clinics, for locations where carrying a concealed weapon will be prohibited. Those locations include areas designated for patient care, research and critical infrastructure. A list of the excluded buildings, along with the Committee’s final report issued on April 16, is available online at www.utmb.edu/campus-carry.

In advance of the law taking effect, UTMB crews will place signs at the entrances to buildings where guns are prohibited to ensure that employees, students, patients and visitors are aware of the regulations.

UTMB Campus Carry Key Facts

State license
Campus Carry is limited to individuals with a concealed handgun license.

Secure
Handguns must be concealed and closely controlled in a holster or trigger-locked condition. Open Carry is still prohibited at state universities.

Storage
Handguns on campus may be stored only in a private vehicle or in campus housing. UTMB will not provide storage.

Signage
Look for signs at the entrances of buildings where handguns are prohibited. (Installation begins end of July.)

Safety
Report individuals with handguns or other weapons carried openly or acting in a threatening manner.

Questions or concerns?
If you have an immediate concern about your personal safety or need to report a threatening situation, CALL 911.

If you wish to contact UTMB Police dispatcher for a non-emergency, call 409-772-2691 (extension 22691 from a campus phone).

Looking for more details about the UTMB Campus Carry Policy? Want to know which buildings prohibit concealed handguns? Want to read FAQs about Campus Carry? For answers to these questions and more, visit www.utmb.edu/campus-carry.