SPORTS, PAGE 6 NEWS, PAGE 3 ETCETERA, PAGE 8 Volleyball team Biology professor researches Craig Finn provides loses annual cancer wetland surrounding Great Lakes uniquely interesting awareness game performance University of Wisconsin River Falls TUDENT OICE OctoberS 30, 2015 www.uwrfvoice.com V Volume 102, Issue 7 New campus carry proposal sparks debate Phelan Patten the bill. In a public statement, they explain, [email protected] “We have significant concerns and questions with this proposal and cannot currently sup- At this point in time, no UW System schools port it. We are, however, actively engaged in a and technical colleges permit concealed guns dialogue with the legislative authors, regents, in university buildings. However, a bill pro- and campus police professionals to ensure our posed in early October would make concealed concerns are addressed.” weapons legal in all UW System schools, tak- The response from the community about ing away the individual colleges’ rights to the bill has been predictably split. “Any time choose a stance on the matter themselves. you introduce the question of firearms…you UW-River Falls’ campus Police Chief Karl get a lot from both sides,” Fleury comments. Fleury describes the bill simply as a “change He says that he realizes that it is an area of in the concealed carry requirements.” concern for citizens, and encourages them to The argument to allow concealed weapons search for information about the bill. He ad- in campus buildings is this: those in favor of vises looking up the bill and what it actually the bill say concealed weapons in campus says. “There’s not a lot to it,” he encourages. buildings would make them safer in the event Student Kerstin Strosahl is not against the of a school shooting or similarly hazardous bill’s implementation. “I would be fine with situation. Those against the bill argue that it,” she says. “Each state has their own laws adding concealed weapons to campus build- about how you can get concealed carry and ings would make them less safe, increasing stuff…if you pass that test, I don’t see why the possibilities of firearm accidents and as- not. I think a lot of people would be against sault. it, but I think it would make us a safer com- The bill, championed by state Representa- munity overall,” she continues. tive Jesse Kremer and state Senator Devin Le- Student Kate Engelhard has a different Mahieu, has been preceded by a similar one in opinion. “I would feel slightly concerned, Texas. As for the likelihood of the bill being but not completely opposed,” she said. “Be- passed in Wisconsin for UW schools, Fleury cause if they have it, and if some crazy per- says that he doesn’t know if it will pass or not. son comes into the building, they have self- “Like any other bill…it has to go through defense – they have protection.” the processes,” he says, but adds, “If it does However, Engelhard does believe in tak- pass, we have concerns for our campus sys- ing precautions. “Checking out who is buying tems.” weapons, making sure that there’s not extra Fleury explains that, to carry a concealed felonies, and stuff like that,” she describes. weapon, you have to be at least 21 and fill out an application which he says is “not exten- Whether the bill passes or sive.” not, the community, like the Allowing firearms inside nation, is deeply conflicted campus buildings adds a new about the issue. layer of difficulty to dealing Whether the bill passes or not, the commu- safely with threats nity, like the nation, is deeply conflicted about the issue. In response to the bill being intro- According to Fleury, any time a new vari- duced, for example, another was proposed by able–like the proposed bill–is introduced, it Democrats which would ban guns completely will “cause concerns for well-being on cam- from college campuses. In River Falls, the de- pus.” He says that allowing firearms inside bate is likely to be similarly fierce. Here on campus buildings adds a new layer of diffi- campus, Student Senate is also trying to raise culty to dealing safely with threats; respond- awareness about the bill. ing officers don’t know if students carrying Regardless of the bill’s outcome, Chief firearms are good Samaritans trying to help, Fleury repeats, “I know it’s an area of con- or potentially harmful people, so they have to cern,” but continues, “I want to reassure ev- treat everyone as if he or she were an indi- eryone that we have a very safe campus and vidual threat. community.” UW System President Ray Cross and UW Tori Schneider/Student Voice System Chancellors are also not in favor of Signs like this can be seen on buildings throughout campus. Campus to introduce new Safe Ride Home Program Natalie Howell safe ride home program. Heinselman said that gram, she doesn’t like the idea of Senate fund- safe.” Falcon News Service the reasons the university hasn’t attempted it ing something that would only help a handful The Safe Ride Home Program is a pilot, is due to the easy access to Main Street from of students. meaning that after the 15 weeks, Senate will A Safe Ride Home Program is coming to the university and the lack of public transpor- “I would rather see the money put towards re-evaluate the usefulness of the program and UW-River Falls that will allow students to get tation in River Falls. something that is clearly for all the students determine whether it should continue into the a free taxi ride home from anywhere in River However, this is not the first time that on campus,” said Kuehnhold. “Where it’s not next year. If the program does prove to im- Falls. UWRF has teamed up with the River Falls going to be underlined as just a safe ride home prove student safety, the university will look At its Oct. 20 meeting, Student Senate Taxi Service. Through UWRF Student Health from the bars.” at adding a $1 to $1.50 fee to continue to fund passed the Safe Ride Home Allocation, which and Counseling Services, students of the uni- Senate President Christopher Morgan said it. would use $5,400 from the Senate funding versity are able to get free roundtrip transpor- that he is not surprised by the difference of The Safe Ride Home pool to support a trial run of the program. The tation, provided that they show their student opinion in Senate, and that the Safe Ride program will use the River Falls Taxi Service ID, to the Vibrant Health Family Clinic, the Home Program will be marketed in a way that Program is a pilot, meaning and would allow students a free ride back to Pierce County Reproductive Health Service, will not highlight drinking. that after the 15 weeks, campus or back to their off-campus hous- and the St. Croix Valley Sexual Assault Re- “I knew going in that there were people Senate will re-evaluate the ing from anywhere in River Falls. The ser- sponse Team Center in River Falls, according that saw it just as an issue regarding drinking, vice will be available from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. to the university website. which is not what it’s about at all,” Morgan usefulness of the program and Thursday through Saturday and will run for This kind of program is common within said. “It’s about keeping students safe.” determine whether it should 15 weeks, starting in November and ending the UW-System, with several universities Danielle Sveiven, a sophomore sociology in March, according to the meeting’s minutes funding variations of the Safe Ride Home student, said that she likes the idea of a Safe continue into the next year. document. Program. UW-Eau Claire, for example, has Ride Home Program coming to UWRF. With its usual hours ending at 10 p.m., it a partnership with the Eau Claire Transit, in “I think it’s really good. I don’t personally The program is still in the planning process costs $30 an hour for the River Falls Taxi Ser- which university students, faculty and staff go out on the weekends, I’m scared to. But I when it comes to marketing and how students vice to offer extended hours for the program. are able to ride the bus for free with the pre- think it’s good for the people that do because will be able to use the service. Current plans Because of the price, the program will be us- sentation of a valid UW-Eau Claire Blugold it’s a way to get back,” said Sveiven. include handing out business cards to students ing one taxi to make sure that students get ID card, according to the university’s website. When it comes to how the program will deal that would include the phone number of the home safely. UW-Madison has several transportation op- with intoxicated minors, Heinselman said that taxi service and a place where the student The reasons the university tions, including a free UW Campus Bus and the university is not looking to be involved could write their address to give to the taxi a Badger Cab that runs for 24 hours a day, but in citing or dealing with conduct aspects of driver. Senate also is planning on partner- hasn’t attempted it is due to costs money to use. the program unless it becomes a major issue ing with the Residence Hall Association and the easy access to Main Street Student Senate’s approval of the alloca- or concern.