Prohibition of Weapons
Date of Current Revision: March 2007
Responsible Officer: Chief of Police
- PURPOSE
This policy provides rules and regulations concerning the possession of weapons on campus and in all facilities and locations owned or operated by James Madison University in an effort to provide a safe and secure learning and working environment for its students, employees, and visitors. - AUTHORITY
The safe operation of the campus is a matter delegated to the Office of Public Safety by the President.
- DEFINITIONS
Weapons:
Defined as, but not limited, to any pistol, revolver, long gun, or other device designed or intended to propel a missile of any kind such as bow and arrow or crossbow; any dirk; any bowie, switchblade knife, ballistic knife, pocket knife with blade in excess of three inches, or other instrument commonly known as an "edged weapon" ; any straight razor; any slingshot, spring stick, metal knucks, blackjack, or any flailing instrument consisting of two or more rigid parts connected in such a manner as to allow them to swing freely, which may be known as nun chahka, nun chuck, nunchaku, shuriken, or fighting chain; any disc, of whatever configuration, having at least two points or pointed blades which is designed to be thrown or propelled and which may be known as a throwing star or oriental dart; and any hunting boomerang.
- APPLICABILITY
This policy applies to all James Madison University faculty, staff, students, visitors and contracted service representatives and to all property owned, leased, operated or controlled by James Madison University.
- POLICY
No person shall carry, maintain, or store a weapon, concealed or otherwise, on any property owned, leased, or controlled by James Madison University. This policy applies to weapons carried about the person and maintenance or storage of any weapon in any university facility or within any parked vehicle on university premises.
- PROCEDURES
6.1 Weapons discovered on university premises in violation of this policy will be seized by the police or the Office of Public Safety, and the owner will forfeit ownership. Items that are used as weapons on property owned or operated by the university, whether or not they fit the definition above, will also be subject to seizure.
6.2 Prop Weapons, and Facsimiles
Any item that appears to be a weapon and that is utilized for any purpose on university property must be reported to and approved by university police or safety officials prior to being used in any activity. Examples include, but are not limited to, props used in plays, props or weapons used in class presentations, and Military Science (ROTC) combat military exercises on campus.
6.3 Storage and Related Procedures
Rifles, shotguns, and bows that are to be used for hunting may be registered and stored no more than one week before and during the appropriate hunting season at the university police station. Weapons used for hunting must be checked and removed from campus at the end of the appropriate hunting season. Similarly, weapons (unloaded, disabled, and facsimile) used for demonstration and educational purposes are to be stored at the campus police station until time of class or demonstration, then removed from campus as soon as possible. All such weapons are to be carried or transported in hard or soft case enclosures.
6.4 Reporting Violations
All members of the university community are encouraged to report violations of this policy to the police or the Office of Public Safety on campus. Division heads, deans, academic unit heads, directors, manager and supervisors are required to report violations to the police or the Office of Public Safety if they become aware of violations.
- RESPONSIBILITIES
It is the responsibility of division heads, academic deans, academic unit heads, directors, managers, and supervisors to ensure that the provisions of this policy are reviewed with employees and students.
It is the responsibility of each student and employee to comply with this policy.
It is the responsibility of each division head, academic dean, academic unit head, director, manager, and supervisor to enforce the provisions of this policy in their area of accountability and to report infractions to the Campus Police.
It is the responsibility of the Chief of Police to ensure that Campus Police investigate matters of noncompliance, take appropriate action, and report resultant findings to the Division of Student Affairs or the Director of Human Resources and to provide and maintain a safe and secure weapons locker and related record keeping for the purposes of legitimate weapons storage.
It is the responsibility of the Chief of Police and/or designated officials to properly inspect and certify stage prop, facsimile, disabled, and/or academic demonstration weapons as unable to discharge a projectile or otherwise disarm and unload such weapons upon petition by employees, students, and invited lecturers and guests of the university.
- SANCTIONS
Sanctions will be commensurate with the severity and/or frequency of the offense and may include termination of employment.
Any student violating this policy will be subject to discipline up to and including expulsion. Any visitor violating this policy will be subject to being barred from campus.
- EXCLUSIONS
This policy does not apply to law enforcement officials duly authorized to carry such weapons. Also excepted are military drills, honor guards, and color guards utilizing facsimile or functionally disabled weapons; and archery classes, team practice, and competition utilizing target bows and arrows.
- INTERPRETATION
The authority to interpret this policy rests with the President, and is generally delegated to the Chief of Police.
Previous version: May, 2002
Approved by the President: May, 2002
Index Terms
Weapons
Firearms
Guns
Knives
Concealed weapons
Hunting