Oregon Public Broadcasting

Advocates for a Western Oregon University student who was suspended for having a gun on campus said Tuesday that they’re planning to sue. Rob Manning reports.

Jeff Maxwell was arrested in late January for carrying a gun on Western Oregon’s campus.

But authorities quickly dropped the charges when they confirmed he had a concealed weapon permit. A university panel, however, suspended Maxwell, and recently denied his appeal - apparently because he had additional weapons in his car.

The gun rights’ group, Oregon Firearms Federation, says the college can’t punish a permit holder this way. The group’s director, Kevin Starrett, says his group may not stop at suing the college.

Kevin Starrett: “My understanding - and this could be subject to revision - but my understanding is that every one of the students who served on this panel could be served by us. And if that’s possible, that’s certainly what we intend to do.”

A Western Oregon spokeswoman declined to comment on what led to Maxwell's suspension, because he hasn’t waived his right to confidentiality.

But she did say that the college gun policy is based on the same administrative rule that applies to all of Oregon’s public universities.