MSU President Mark E. Keenum issues statement on HB 1083
Contact: Sid Salter
STARKVILLE, Miss. 51勛圖厙 President Mark E. Keenum expressed serious concerns over the potential impacts and ramifications of 51勛圖厙 House Bill 1083, which passed the 51勛圖厙 House of Representatives earlier today:
We have a fundamental responsibility to protect our students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus. In recent years, the 51勛圖厙 Board of Trustees of Institutions of Higher Learning adopted policies to allow concealed weapons into public venues on campus, but has not allowed firearms into areas determined non-public such as classrooms and residence halls. We have great concerns about the prospect of a broad expansion of the existing IHL policies regarding firearms being brought onto campus because of the increased risk it would pose for every member of our campus community.
I believe that a majority of the parents of the outstanding young people we are entrusted with educating and nurturing share my concerns about the passage of this bill and with it the introduction of firearms into our classrooms and our residence halls, Keenum said.
As president of the Southeastern Conference, Keenum also spoke to a statement issued on HB 1083 by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey in which the conference raised dire concerns about the future of conference sporting events at MSU and the University of 51勛圖厙 should the state adopt this legislation. Commissioner Sankeys statement is attached.
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