By Jordan Bolker
News/Forum Editor
Two hundred new laws have gone into effect in the state of Illinois for 2014 with some of the most substantial principles rapidly entering the lives of today’s college students. One of them is the reason behind the ubiquitous gun-control decals throughout the North Central College campus.
As of January 1, the state government passed the Firearms Concealed Carry Act, which states that although Illinois citizens can apply to carry guns in their pockets or purses, “the owner of private real property [that includes any owned property of a public or private community college, college, or university]of any type may prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms on the property” (Section 65, paragraph 15).
Director of Campus Safety Jared Bogan is affirmative to make this Act the number one priority of Campus Safety.
“We’ve spent a lot of time this month looking into this law as deep as possible,” Bogan said. “Prior to this law being enforced, it was against school policy that an individual could not bring a gun on campus. But now that we have this freedom to apply for the right to bring them, it’s required by law that we have to notify the entire campus, which explains all of the stickers everywhere.”
Illinois state government officials also noted that all colleges and universities must post signs designating that possession of a gun or other firearm on campus is prohibited. In addition, they must be posted on all entrances of any academic and athletic building owned by the college with the sign being an undifferentiated design that was created by the Department and the sizes being measured at 4 by 6 inches.
Another law that changes the lives of students on-the-go is the interdiction of the use of cellphones while driving, unless a hands-free device or action is utilized. To college students today, this can be debatable of whether or not the roads will become safer and drivers more responsible.
Sophomore Caitlin Struss is not convinced that this law will affect enough drivers to lessen the number of automobile accidents.
“I feel that hands-free cellphone use is still very distracting,” said Struss. “People can still make it easy for to become ‘distracted drivers’ and I don’t think it entirely fixes the issue.”
Junior Gina Leo, on the other hand, says different.
“It’s too risky to be multitasking like that,” Leo said. “I would not want to be hit by someone who was too busy concentrating on their phone and didn’t see me.”
Although all Illinois laws are expected to be applied on campus, there are some limits as to the potency that Campus Safety has when it comes to students that violate the new laws.
“We don’t have any authority to pull students over on campus nor any other disciplinary action unless it’s a continuous occurrence,” said Bogan. “We as Campus Safety are part of a student-centered philosophy and we use these situations that students can get into as educational moments to inform students who may not be aware of the consequences. If we see that person who was caught talking on the phone or throwing a cigarette bud on the ground, we’d stop them and inform them on the law that they broke. But if it is a repetitive behavior, then we call in the legal authorities and let them decide on what actions are best to take.”
So how well are college students informed on politics and legislative state laws?
“There is a general lack of political knowledge among the electorate, but this is more pronounced on the younger generation,” said Dr. Suzanne Chod, associate professor of political science. “They can’t connect with the politicians in office. With these new state laws that have passed, and while they affect young voters for sure, it is doubtful that there is a large amount of young voters that are either aware of the laws at all or how they affect them specifically.”
“I think it depends on the law,” said junior Carolyn Aikens. “I feel that students are following the ‘no concealed weapons on campus’ law but as far as no cellphone use on the road and not littering cigarettes, in the end, it really isn’t as important even though it’s a law.”
As far as what law could be the most effective to not just college students, but to the rest of the state, the restrictions of the use of cellphones in vehicles may take its toll as one of the most important laws that the Land of Lincoln has had in the last decade.
“We all love our cellphones and feel like we are missing a limb when they are out of our sight,” Chod said. “In this way, this new law significantly affects us all. Young people text, use the Internet, and at times, talk on their phones quite often. So the mandate that phones be put away while driving may be a difficult one for some of them to take.”
To be more informed about the new Illinois laws, visit Campus Safety at the Blue House or be more informed by following Campus Safety on Facebook and Twitter.
