Oregon Public Broadcasting

One of Oregon’s leading gun-owners' organizations is taking the state higher education system to court.  The lawsuit follows the arrest seven months ago, of a gun-bearing student. Rob Manning reports.

Jeff Maxwell was arrested in January for carrying a gun on the Western Oregon University campus.

When local police learned Maxwell had a permit for the gun, they dropped the charges. But a university panel suspended Maxwell.

Now, the Oregon Firearms Federation is challenging the underlying basis for Maxwell’s arrest and suspension: the Oregon University System's administrative rules.

Kevin Starrett with the firearms federation says a ruling for his side would clarify what rules should apply on college campuses.

Kevin Starrett: “What it would demonstrate is that students who have the lawful ability to carry firearms everyplace, would then have the lawful ability to carry firearms on a college campus.”

The challenge to the Appeals’ Court names the Higher Ed Board and University System as defendants. University officials have said that the law and rules give the colleges broad authority.