CU weapons war to continue in courts

A Thursday ruling by the Colorado Court of Appeals extends a statewide concealed carry gun law to CU campuses, effectively superseding a CU Board of Regents policy on the issue.

But the fight to keep guns and other weapons off campus is not over.

The decision by Colorado Court of Appeals sends the case between Students for Concealed Carry and CU back to El Paso County District Judge David Miller. Miller earlier ruled there was nothing in the State Constitution preventing CU from banning concealed weapons from campuses. In most appeals cases, lower courts comply with the appellate court ruling.

In its decision, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled the Concealed Carry Act of 2003 applies to universities.

The university has 45 days to decide if it will appeal, according to university counsel. The issue will likely be discussed at a Board of Regents meeting scheduled for April 22.

The CU Board of Regents banned weapons in 1970 and, in 1994, strengthened its policy requiring that students be expelled and employees be fired if found guilty of using a weapon to “intimidate, harass, injure or otherwise interfere with the learning and working environment of the university.”