OP 050 - Firearms And Weapons On Campus
Number: OP 050
Effective: October 30, 2014
Last Reviewed: March 1, 2022
Department: Facilities Planning and Management
Last Revision: February 1, 2022

Purpose

To establish guidelines regarding the possession, wearing, carrying, transporting, or use of weapons, including firearms.

Scope

Applies to all weapons, including firearms on CWI-owned or controlled properties, in College vehicles, and during CWI sponsored activities or events.

Definition

Concealed: A concealed weapon is one that is carried upon one’s person and is not a plain view or discernable by ordinary observation.

CWI owned or controlled properties: All College-owned, leased, or operated properties and surrounding areas such as sidewalks, driveways, and parking lots. This policy applies also to College vehicles, regardless of whether they are on College property at the time. Also included are locations where CWI sponsored activities and/or events are held.

Firearms: Any weapon that will, is designed to, or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive.

Weapons: Any device, instrument, material, or substance used for, or is readily capable of causing death or serious bodily injury, including but not limited to firearms, knives, explosives, conducted energy devices (e.g. tasers and stun guns), or incendiary devices.

Policy

A safe and secure environment is fundamental to fulfilling CWI’s educational mission. CWI is committed to maintaining an environment free of violence. This commitment includes restricting recognized hazards from the CWI community that contribute to violence and may result in serious harm. Accordingly, the possession of weapons, including firearms on CWI owned or controlled properties is subject to the guidelines set forth below.

Guidelines

The possession, wearing, carrying, transporting, or use of weapons, including firearms, while upon CWI owned or controlled properties, in CWI vehicles, and during CWI sponsored activities or events is strictly prohibited, except for authorized law enforcement officers, and persons exempt under Idaho State law. “Persons exempt under Idaho State law” means any person licensed to carry a concealed weapon under Idaho Code §§ 18‐3302H or with an Enhanced Concealed Carry License under Idaho Code 18‐3302K.

Exceptions

Individual Exceptions: Prior specific written permission from the Executive Director of the Facilities, Planning & Management Department to bring any weapon on campus may be obtained for certain activities or legitimate purposes, e.g., class projects or demonstrations, displays of antique firearms, or art objects.

Program Exceptions:

  1. Some students or instructors regularly use tools that fall under the definition of weapons. Such tools, when applied directly to legitimate use in College programs, are exempt from this policy. Questions are to be directed to the Executive Director of the Facilities, Planning & Management Department.
  2. Any knife, cleaver, or another instrument that is intended to be used in the processing, preparation, or eating of food.
  3. Any pocketknife with a blade no longer than four (4) inches.
  4. Personal protection pepper spray e.g., Oleoresin Capsicum.

Screening

CWI may conduct weapons screening to enforce this policy. Campus security will determine the appropriate security screening procedures to be used on a case‐by‐case basis for events on campus. Screening procedures may include but are not limited to visual inspection, the use of magnetometer devices (including wands and walkthrough metal detectors), bag size and type limitations, and bag inspections. Discovery of a weapon, except where permitted above, during screening procedures will be a violation of this policy, will result in denial of admittance to the event or facility, and may require a law enforcement assessment of the situation.

Violations

Any violation of this policy poses a serious risk to the safety of the CWI community. Violations may result in:

  1. Exclusion or expulsion, in the case of students.
  2. Exclusion or dismissal from employment, in the case of faculty and staff.
  3. Exclusion from campus, in the case of the public.
  4. Where applicable, prosecution under appropriate local, state, or federal law.