Weapons on Campus

Western is committed to enhancing and preserving the quality of life by providing a safe and secure environment for students, employees and visitors. The campus community is asked to conform to federal, state and local laws as well as campus policies regarding weapons and explosives. In the spirit of that commitment to the campus community Western has established policies 3910K an 5420A to govern the use, possession and storage of weapons on property leased or owned by the College.

Policy 3910K Weapons

 The College prohibits employees, students and visitors from possessing, using or storing weapons on College property, except as herein provided. Exceptions include: 

  • Use or possession of weapons by law enforcement personnel; 
  • Use or possession of weapons in an approved course, when related to the course content and objectives and when approved by the Vice President for Student Learning;
  • Use or possession of weapons outside of an approved course with the written permission of the College President;

For the purposes of this procedure, a “weapon” is any device designed to produce serious injury or death, or to intimidate, threaten or endanger an individual, or any replica that a reasonable person might believe capable of producing serious injury or death. As used in this procedure, “weapon” includes, but is not limited to, firearms (including those using air-powered as well as those using gunpowder), stun guns, dart guns, dangerous chemicals, any explosive devices (including hand grenades, bombs, black powder, smokeless powder, percussion caps, friction primers, and pyrotechnic fuses), knives with blades longer than those of a 4” folding pocket knife, switchblades, daggers, swords, striking instruments (including clubs, truncheons, blackjacks, and metal knuckles), martial arts weapons (including nunchucks, tonfas, staffs and throwing stars), bow and arrow combinations, and paintball guns.  

Policy 5420A Code of Student Conduct

Possession, use, or distribution of explosives (including fireworks and ammunition), guns (including air, BB, paintball, facsimile weapons and pellet guns), or other weapons or dangerous objects such as arrows, axes, machetes, nun chucks, throwing stars, or knives with a blade longer than 4 inches, including the storage of such items in a vehicle parked on college property is prohibited.