1. Hill, Matthew
INTS 3300 L4-A1:Annotated Bibliography
June 27, 2016
Across American campuses and amongst various political offices around the nation, there
is an oft-debated and yet so far rarely instituted policy change that would allow for the concealed
carry of firearms on campus. This is a complex problem that requires expertise and adequacy to
be demonstrated across several disciplines to be able to effectively analyze the societal impact
and possible outcomes that legalizing this change may bring about. With any complex problem
such as this, there are many approaches and variables to consider when instituting such a major
reform. I believe I may have an interesting take on this complex problem that stems from my
various studies at Texas Tech, certainly my Integrative Studies courses, and related life
experiences that could shed some light on how to manage this kind of change. My own personal
areas of expertise are: Political Science, Human Resource Development, and Organizational
Leadership. These may not be the best suited towards gaining an all-encompassing picture of
what it means to implement this change, however, there are several aspects to consider from
these perspectives that will have a great deal of impact in relation towards how successful this
rule implementation will be.
For one, as with any ground-breaking, society-altering policy change there is much to
consider especially from the perspective of faculty staff. Professors, aides, other campus
workers, and students need to feel safe and secure in their work, learning, and living
environments (in the case of on-student housing), and may need special training or orientation to
be up to speed with the new arrangement. While instituting this policy, the administration and all
members of the Texas Tech University faculty staff would need to be trained and properly
educated on various firearm safety protocols as well as what exactly to do should something go
wrong and there is an active hostile shooter on campus. This measure has a bit to do with both
2. Hill, Matthew
INTS 3300 L4-A1:Annotated Bibliography
June 27, 2016
Human Resource Development as well as Organizational Leadership, as the administration and
all staff would need to undergo training to be prepared to deal with this new reality, and any
measure taken short of complete preparation would certainly be unwise given the gravity and
potential lethality of the situation. This course of action ensures that the leadership on campus is
able to set a visible example to all other staff, visitors, and students and also helps to strengthen
their positions as leaders of this community. In addition, as it relates towards the Human
Resources perspective on this complex problem, supplementary measures will be needed to
conduct background checks or additional interviews to make certain that all new faculty
additions to the staff will fit in to this new environment amiably, if there is any mental instability
to be found it certainly needs to be noted and avoided if it proves to have a chance of becoming a
dangerous mixture in the new concealed carry campus environment. And as far as the Political
Science aspect of this complex problem is concerned, state and local government may need to
take an interest in the preparation procedures and assign law enforcement officers to assist with
this preparation and training.
Annotated Bibliography
Political Science / Human Resources Development / Organizational Leadership
Disciplines
1) Patten, R., Thomas, M. O., & Wada, J. C. (2012). Packing Heat: Attitudes Regarding
Concealed Weapons on College Campuses. American Journal of Criminal Justice Am J
Crim Just, 38(4), 551-569. doi:10.1007/s12103-012-9191-1
2) Authors: Political Science Department & Criminal Justice. Journal: American Journal of
Criminal Justice.
3. Hill, Matthew
INTS 3300 L4-A1:Annotated Bibliography
June 27, 2016
3) Statistics from collegiate students regarding attitudes towards concealed weapons on
college campuses.
4) Not certain if applicable.
5) Quantitative data and qualitative was collected in the form of surveys and questionnaires
as well as skillful usage of statistic regression analysis techniques.
6) This article is related towards attitudes regarding the level of social acceptance for
firearms on collegiate campuses across America across the previous decade. Previous to
the 2007 Virginia Tech mass shooting, there were very few states that considered
concealed handguns on campus an acceptable change, in fact, 49 states had prohibitions
against concealed carry on collegiate grounds with some exceptions. Since that horrific
assault, 23 states now allow campus administration to draft specific policies regarding
concealed firearms on campus. While this may seems as if the majority of the populace is
supporting the new concealed carry laws, it turns out that the results of the study indicate
over 70% of faculty, students, and staff did not feel safer with the addition of more
concealed firearms on campus, even if they were being carried by qualified individuals.
Realizing that the majority of the collegiate populace does not support this move, and in
fact feel their personal safety is endangered after implementing this rule, it becomes apparent
now more than ever that education and training programs will be needed to educate the
students and staff and make them feel safer in these environments or place more trust in
qualified individuals or other leaders on campus.
4. Hill, Matthew
INTS 3300 L4-A1:Annotated Bibliography
June 27, 2016
1) Thompson, A., Price, J. H., Mrdjenovich, A. J., & Khubchandani, J. (2009). Reducing
Firearm-Related Violence on College Campuses—Police Chiefs' Perceptions and Practices.
Journal of American College Health, 58(3), 247-254. doi:10.1080/07448480903295367
2) Author: Health and Rehabilitation Services. Journal : American College Health
3) Statistics related to fire-arm violence on college campuses and how to minimize it.
4) Not sure if applicable. This study assessed university police chiefs’ perceptions and practices
concerning selected issues of firearm violence and its reduction on college campuses.
5) Quantitative and Qualitative data were collected in the forms of statistical data collected from
the Directory of the International Association of College Law Enforcement Administrators as
well as questionnaires and surveys to campus Police Chiefs.
6) This article uses feedback from college campus Police Chief’s in the form of questionnaires
and surveys as well as with statistical data collected from the Directory of the International
Association of College Law Enforcement Administrators. The study goes on to find that out
of 417 University Campus Police Chief’s that had returned surveys on the issue a firearm
incident had occurred in the past year on 25% of the campuses and within the last five years
this percentage rises higher to 35%. Statistical data collected also suggested that only 57% of
collegiate campuses had a plan in place for longer than a year to deal with an active shooter,
and additionally it was found that the primary barrier to instituting a new plan that would
help reduce firearm violence on campus was that it was not felt that firearms violence was a
problem on their campus (46% of responders).
This is a problematic issue to be sure, as in the future I am sure there will certainly be
firearms allowed on at least some collegiate campuses, and certain steps need to be taken to
make certain the staff and students are prepared and safe in the new environment. The study also
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INTS 3300 L4-A1:Annotated Bibliography
June 27, 2016
confirms my views, concluding that a greater awareness of the importance of a highly visible
campus firearm policy and its potential for reducing firearm trauma on college campuses is
needed.
1) Thompson, A., Price, J. H., Dake, J., & Teeple, K. (2012). Faculty Perceptions
and Practices Regarding Carrying Concealed Handguns on University Campuses.
Journal of Community Health J Community Health, 38(2), 366-373.
doi:10.1007/s10900-012-9626-0
2) Author: Health and Rehabilitation Services. Journal of Community Health
3) To assess the perceptions and practices of college faculty regarding support for
carrying concealed firearms on their respective campuses.
4) Statistical Analysis
5) Quantitative and Qualitative data collection was used for this study, using
surveys/questionnaires and statistical analysis
6) This article uses statistical analysis, surveys, and questionnaires to determine the
level of support and perceptions of permitting concealed carry firearms on
campus grounds. This study helps to determine the average overall support from
the average American collegiate administration and faculty staff for enduring such
a controversial change as well as how much support will need to be dedicated
towards training, According to the results, it shows that around 97% of faculty
felt safe on their campuses as the law currently stands, and around the same
percentage would refuse to carry a weapon on campus even when authorized.
These findings go to show that should this change be made, the faculty and
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INTS 3300 L4-A1:Annotated Bibliography
June 27, 2016
administration at the very least will need to be on board and directing an efficient
training program to help those that do want to carry to be able to do so confidently
and to make certain all staff is aware of how to react to a shooter on campus with
and without a firearm on their person.
1) Confronting the Evolving Safety and Security Challenge at Colleges and
Universities. (2007). Pierce Law Review, 5(3), 413-432.
2) Author: Associate Professor of Law Mercer University School of Law. Journal:
Pierce Law Review
3) Coming to grips with the ever-changing safety and security challenges at colleges
and universities.
4) Not sure if applicable. The article identifies legal challenges colleges and
universities may face in response to campus surveillance efforts.
5) Qualitative, the author used numerous legal cases and specifically cited historical
precedent-setting events that had an effect on collegiate safety.
6) This article has to do with the need for security on collegiate campuses, and
ensuring campus safety for staff and students. This is a relevant excellent excerpt
on how Political Science, Organizational Leadership, and Human Resource
Development can be synergized and be applied to help solve this complex
problem. For one, the author combines several relevant course cases and
precedent setting events to help illustrate the changing society and the evolving
needs that campus officials need to cater to in order to provide a safe haven for
learning and living a life on campus. To the end of improving safety and security
to meet the needs of this policy change, the author recommends that internal
7. Hill, Matthew
INTS 3300 L4-A1:Annotated Bibliography
June 27, 2016
audits be conducted to evaluate safety and defense mechanisms on campus to
ensure they are in a working order periodically, making very careful personnel
decisions and submitting them to extra scrutiny when adding staff, and making
certain that responsibility for everyone’s safety is not diffused to one department,
but something that all faculty and staff should be vigilant of.