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5.21 Possession or Carry of Firearm & Other Weapons Policy

Chapter 5 Adminstration

  • Adoption: 06/18/2003
  • Revised: 05/13/2015
  • Last Reviewed: 05/13/2015 (AASC)
  • President Approved: 05/15/2015
  • Next Review Date: 05/15/2020
  • Authority: MnSCU Policy 5.21
  • Custodian of Policy: Vice President of Administrative Services

Policy Statement

  1. Purpose & Scope

    Hennepin Technical College is establishing restrictions on the possession or carry of firearms and other weapons in accordance with MnSCU Board Policy 5.21, the Minnesota Citizens’ Personal Protection Act of 2003, Minnesota Statutes 624.714, and other applicable law and HTC student code of conduct.

  2. Definitions

    Employee

    “Employee” means any individual employed by Hennepin Technical College, including student employees.

    Firearm

    “Firearm” means a gun, whether loaded or unloaded, that discharges shot or a projectile by means of an explosive, a gas or compressed air.

    Pistol

    “Pistol” means a weapon as defined in Minnesota Statues section 624.712, subd.2.

    Other Weapons

    “Other weapons” include but are not limited to incendiary devices; smoke devices; knives and other similar instruments with a blade length of more than three inches, other than those normally present in the workplace for the specific purpose of food preparation and service by employees or students for reasons pertaining to educational purposes; explosives; bows and arrows; or chemical agents.

    Student

    "Student" means an individual who is:

    1. registered to take or is taking one or more courses, classes, or seminars, credit or noncredit, through Hennepin Technical College; or
    2. between terms of a continuing course of study at the College, such as summer break between spring and fall academic terms; or
    3. expelled or suspended from enrollment as a student at the College, during the pendency of any adjudication of the student disciplinary action.

    College Property

    “College property” means the facilities and land owned, leased, or under primary control of Hennepin Technical College, including but not limited to Brooklyn Park Campus (9000 Brooklyn Boulevard, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445), Eden Prairie Campus (13100 College View Drive, Eden Prairie, MN 55347), and Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Center (9110 Brooklyn Boulevard, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445). All college sponsored functions held at other facilities will adhere to this policy unless that facility has a more restrictive policy. In such case, the more restrictive policy will be followed.

    Visitor

    “Visitor” means any person who is on College property, but does not include (1) an employee of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities acting in the course and scope of their employment; and (2) a student, when that student is on College property.

  3. General

    No person is permitted to carry or possess a firearm or other weapon on College property except as provided in this policy.

    Employees

    1. Prohibition. Employees are prohibited from possessing or carrying a firearm or other weapon while acting in the course and scope of their employment, either on or off College property, regardless of whether the employee has a permit to carry a firearm, except as otherwise provided in this policy.
    2. Employee reporting responsibility. An employee with a reasonable basis for believing an individual is in possession of or carrying a firearm or other weapons in violation of this policy has a responsibility to report the suspected act in a timely manner, unless doing so would subject the employee or others to physical harm. Reports should be made to the Safety Officer or Security and Emergency Preparedness Officer. The Safety Officer or Security and Emergency Preparedness Officer, will notify law enforcement if appropriate. This policy shall not prohibit prompt notification to appropriate law enforcement authorities when an immediate threat to personal safety exists. Employees shall not make reports of a suspected violation knowing they are false or in reckless disregard of the truth.

    Students

    1. Prohibition. Students are prohibited from possessing or carrying a firearm or other weapons while on College property, regardless of whether the student has a permit to carry a firearm, except as otherwise provided in this policy.

    Visitors

    1. Prohibition. Visitors are prohibited from possessing or carrying a firearm or other weapon while on College property, except as otherwise provided in this policy.

  4. Exceptions

    1. Parking areas

      This policy does not prohibit the lawful possession or carry of firearms in a parking area. All other weapons are prohibited in a parking area.

    2. Authorized uses

      This policy does not prohibit:

      1. Lawful possession or carry related to an academic use or use at a campus shooting range, such as law enforcement programs, approved in writing by the college or university president; or
      2. Transport of an unloaded firearm directly between a parking area or parking facility and the location authorized for its use, or transport of an unloaded firearm directly between a parking area or parking facility and a storage facility provided by the college or university.
      3. Possession or carry of a pistol by a visitor who has a lawful permit to carry a pistol pursuant to Minnesota Statutes section 624.714, subd. 1a (see related documents below).
      4. Possession or carry of a firearm by a licensed peace officer under Minnesota Statutes section 626.84, subd.1(c) or by a qualified law enforcement officer pursuant to 18 United States Code section 926B (see related documents below), when possession or carry is otherwise authorized by law.

      Nothing in this policy requires a college or university to provide storage facilities for employees' or students' weapons.

  5. Storage in State Vehicles Prohibited

    No vehicle owned, leased, or otherwise under the control of the College shall be used to store or carry a firearm, or other weapons.

  6. Violations

    Violations of this policy by students or employees are misconduct subject to discipline, up to and including expulsion or termination.

  7. Referral to Law Enforcement

    Hennepin Technical College may refer suspected violations of law to appropriate law enforcement authorities, and provide access to investigate or other data as permitted by law.

  8. Effect

    In the event any other College policy or procedure is found to be in conflict with this policy, the terms of this policy shall govern.

Related Documents

To view any of the following related statutes, go to the Revisor's Website (http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/). You can conduct a search from this site by typing in the statute number.

  • Minnesota Statute 624.714, Minnesota Citizens' Personal Protection Act of 2003
  • Minnesota Statute 624.712, subd. 2, definitions
  • Minnesota Statute 626.84, subd.1(c) licensed peace officers