SLIPPERY ROCK — A statewide weapons policy covering the 14 schools in the State System of Higher Education, which includes Slippery Rock University, may get ditched.

State system Chancellor Frank Brogan said recently the system may choose to allow individual universities to set their own policies.

However, he said the new, systemwide weapons policy still is under review, and that policy or another systemwide policy still may be enacted.

In April 2013, the state system formed a public safety and security task force to study campus safety and police operations. The first assignment of the task force was to review policies and come up with a uniform one for all 14 universities.

The policy would prohibit the possession of “deadly or offensive weapons” in “sensitive areas” of campuses, including residence halls, student union buildings, dining halls and other indoor and outdoor locations, including sports venues.

However, it would not ban weapons from open spaces on university property.

Exempt from the policy would be campus police officers, municipal, state and federal officers and U.S. military personnel in doing their duties.

At a hearing in January, several people gave testimony opposing the policy. The testimony was a mix of people who said the policy would not prevent gun violence and people who felt the policy would violate the rights of gun owners.

There was hope to vote on the policy at the state system board of governor’s meeting in January, but the system decided to postpone the vote to further examine the policy.

In spring 2012, the state system recommended its schools begin to revise their weapons policies after the Legislature passed the castle doctrine, a 2011 law that allows the use of deadly force in self-defense situations without first having to retreat.

Universities are able to prohibit weapons in buildings, residence halls and other facilities, as well as during events on school property. However, state system policies have to be consistent with state laws, which allow people with permits to carry firearms.

Before the changes in policy, most state system schools, including SRU, had regulations banning weapons on campuses.

SRU’s weapons policy, approved by the university’s council of trustees in September 2012, is similar to the one proposed by the state system.

SRU spokesman Rita Abent said the university would prefer a statewide policy so there is consistency at all 14 schools. If the statewide policy is scrapped, she said it would not be a huge deal.

“We would most likely just keep our policy as is,” Abent said.

She said SRU’s policy has worked out well since it was established nearly two years ago.

Patrick Burkhart, president of SRU’s chapter of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculty, said the policy at SRU seems to have worked well.

However, he said APSCUF thinks it seems wiser to go back to SRU’s previous policy of not allowing weapons on campus at all.

“There was no issue with that either,” Burkhart said.

SRU police allow students who hunt to store their weapons in a locker. Burkhart said that policy also has worked well for years.