MORAINE VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER WWW.MVCCGLACIER.COM AUGUST 30, 2013 VOLUME 47, ISSUE 2
Concealed carry restrictions Board to vote on proposed guidelines on Illinois’ new weapons law By David Alexander Staff Writer Any Moraine Valley student, faculty, staff or visitor who comes inside any of the college’s buildings with a gun after the Conceal and Carry law in Illinois is implemented will receive a free ride to jail. This exemption to the Carry and Conceal law is because colleges fall within the definition of “protected areas”, where it is illegal to be armed under the Conceal and Carry law, explained Patrick O’ Connor, MVCC’s Police Department’s Chief, past president of the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police and longtime member of the organization’s board. O’Connor is one of the guiding hands behind crafting of the Carry and Conceal law in Illinois.
Other protected areas include libraries, airports, stadiums, amusement parks, medical facilities, bars, gaming facilities, museums and zoos, public transportation, and property controlled by Cook County Forest Preserve. People who show up armed at any Moraine Valley Community College’s facility have two options, according to Chief O’Connor; they can elect to leave their firearms in their cars, or they can pull up in front of the police department’s building. On the main campus, they are advised to come inside and lock their weapon away in a locker inside the police department building that the school will be providing. These lockers will be similar to those used for stowing away personal objects GUNS | page 2
Smoking areas on campus decreased Board of Trustees Report An anti-gun sculpture outside Parliament in Luxembourg. [Eole Wind]
By Amira Chafai Staff Writer As the fall semester unwinds, students at Moraine Valley Community College will learn of a new policy that further limits faculty members and students who smoke. New smoking designations on campus will attempt to reroute students to less populated building entrances. The new policy targets helping ease congested passageways of buildings on campus, following a long standing MVCC campaign against tobacco. In 2001, the red line designations were instituted to halt students from smoking near entrances of buildings. The idea for new smoking designations was suggested
not only by faculty members, but student government representatives as well. Some argued that the campus should become completely tobacco free. The result is an increase in “No Smoking” signs posted around campus and stricter repercussions for those who repeatedly violate the policy. Moraine Valley police will begin to issue warnings for the first few weeks of the policy, and will eventually hand out tickets. In the past, students would nonchalantly disregard the posted signs and red lines that informed them of designated smoking areas, but if faced with stricter outcomes, that attitude could shift. When asked whether he SMOKING | page 7
Concealed carry, health education and wellness center on agenda By Connor Reynolds Layout Editor Moraine Valley trustees are working with the college police department to pass a new policy banning concealed carry on college campuses despite the National Riffle Association lobbying against the proposed ban. “Under the new gun laws in Illinois the college is able to create our own concealed carry regulations,” said John Murphy, a lawyer for the college. “We will not allow anyone other than law enforcement to carry a firearm on any of Moraine’s campuses.” If approved during the Sept. 17 board meeting the
new ban will prevent students, faculty, staff or visitors from carrying a firearm on any of Moraine’s campuses. Although concealed carry is not expected to take effect for another 6 months the college is preparing for licensed gun owners by prohibiting concealed carry on campus. “The new policy is not a weapons ban but a ban on concealed carry,” said Moraine Police Chief Patrick O’Connor. “Lawful gun owners must go through extensive range training and classroom instruction and are expected to know the law. We expect that lawful gun owners will follow the newly proposed policy.” For over five years
O’Connor has worked with the Illinois Chiefs of Police and legislators on Capitol Hill to compromise with the National Riffle Association on the newly adopted gun laws in Illinois. “I’ve worked on coming up with a solution for college campuses for five years and worked in collaboration with legislators in D.C. and the Illinois Chiefs of Police to come up with a fair compromise,” O’Connor said. “We want to make sure that we don’t overregulate gun control but we also don’t want to underregulate gun control so that anyone is able to own a firearm.” The concealed carry ban TRUSTEES | page 6
IN THIS ISSUE FEATURES Moraine hosted Welcome Days to kick of the fall semester. SOCIAL PAGE 1
SPORTS Nicole Selvaggio takes the reins as head coach of women’s tennis. PAGE 12
ENTERTAINMENT Jay-Z drops his new album “Magna Carta Holy Grail” SOCIAL PAGE 6