UT Martin students to stage another sit-in after controversial concealed-carry vote

MARTIN, Tenn. — University of Tennessee at Martin students and Student Government Association members will hold another sit-in at the SGA office Tuesday regarding a controversial resolution.

The students are protesting a vote made this past Thursday. SGA passed a concealed carry resolution that would allow students to lawfully carry concealed weapons on campus.

Although it received a majority of “yes” votes from SGA Senators, 250 students who voted in the referendum Dec. 5 did not show the same support.

In the referendum vote, 89 percent agreed that students feel safe on campus, 54 percent disagreed students with a Tennessee concealed carry permit should be allowed to carry a concealed firearm on campus and 58 percent disagreed they would feel safer if students were allowed to carry a concealed firearm on campus.

One student gave us video Friday of someone erasing what people who opposed the vote wrote on a board.

SGA President Jordan Long said the vote on the resolution is not set in stone. To take effect it would have to be approved by the Tennessee General Assembly and signed by Governor Bill Haslam.