FROM THE HEADLINES

FIREARMS AT DARTMOUTH

In the wake of the tragic Virginia Tech shootings in April, Safety & Security Sgt. Richard Gavell reports no changes have been made to Dartmouth's gun policy. No privately owned handguns are permitted on campus. Hunting-related long-barreled firearms and hunting bows and knives are allowed, but must be stored in the locked gun room at the Safety & Security offices on Rope Ferry Road near Dick's House. "We have a recently updated, comprehensive system of locks and checks and balances in effect that we feel comfortable with," says Gavell. This includes gun locks for every weapon and "certification that people have taken firearms safety courses and adhere to the safe handling practices of firearms." (Three Safety & Security staffers are state-certified instructors.) Contents of the gun room, which is actually a secured vault, vary depending on the time of year. As of mid-May, there were 29 student-owned firearms and one bow housed there, according to Gavell. To read the College gun policy, click on www.dartmouth.edu/~deancoli/documents/handbook/rules-regs/weapons-proj.html.