Today’s shooting at Mississippi’s Delta State University is only the latest in a long list of incidents of gun violence on America’s college campuses.  The American Association of State colleges and Universities (AASCU) extends heartfelt condolences to the family of Professor Ethan Schmidt, and we extend our support to Delta State President Bill LaForge and the broader Delta State University community.

During the past three years, deadly incidents of gun violence have taken place at several AASCU member campuses including Savannah State University, Texas Southern University, Delaware State University, Chicago State University, and now Delta State University.

AASCU remains deeply concerned with numerous attempts—at both the state and federal level—to strip colleges and universities from establishing campus-wide weapons policies. These attempts continue in the face of overwhelming support from law enforcement, college officials, and student and parent groups to curb access to guns on campus. 

Students and faculty should be able to go to school without the threat of gun violence. AASCU stands ready to serve as a resource in our collective quest to ensure that America’s public college and university campuses remain among the safest sanctuaries in society. Not one more student or professor should have their lives taken because they simply went to school.

For more information about AASCU’s commitment to keep guns off campus, visit http://www.aascu.org/MAP/PublicPurpose/2015/Spring/CounteringGuns/.