Without discussion, members of the Washburn University board of regents on Thursday uanimously approved the Topeka school’s concealed carry policy set to go into effect July 1.

"Unfortunately it’s come about and now we have to be prepared for it," president Jerry Farley told a room full of Washburn staff and students.

Many of the Kansas regents schools’ weapons policies set to begin this summer, including Washburn, require campus housing residents to safely secure their handguns and conceal them from sight on themselves, in their residence hall or in the trunk of their car. Restrictions on the unlawful discharge of firearms follows current state law, and a student would be subject to criminal charges if the weapon were used improperly.

The Washburn regents had delayed a vote on the campus gun policy in February after regent Brent Boles suggested the nine-member body wait until any pending legislative bills in Kansas House and Senate committees had run their course.

The 2017 legislative session has seen multiple attempts to approve exemptions to the Kansas law passed in 2013 that widened the list of public facilities in which concealed carry is allowed. That law took effect to allow concealed guns for certain institutions. For public colleges and universities and hospitals, however, it allowed a delay until July of this year.

Opponents of campus concealed carry have been pushing to stop the July 1 deadline or extend it. Proponents of the 2013 law cite provisions in the legislation that allow for keeping concealed guns out of public college and universities’ buildings if a facility installs security at entrances. Officials at those institutions, including Washburn University, have said making those kinds of security enhancements are cost prohibitive from a manpower and equipment standpoint.

Marc Fried, Washburn’s legal counsel, said in October that it would cost an average of $100,000 annually to install one metal detector and employ two staff members at one entrance to a building. Washburn’s concealed carry policy is not expected to cost the university any additional money, according to meeting documents.

A 2015 Docking Institute of Public Affairs survey showed that of Washburn students who responded to the questionnaire, 53 percent didn’t want to allow concealed weapons on campus, 13 percent favored extending the exemption for colleges and universities past July 1 and 34 percent favored allowing the policy to take effect July 1.

Of the students attending Kansas regents universities who responded to the survey, 55 percent favored not allowing concealed weapons, 14 percent favored the extension of the exemption and 31 percent favored allowing the exemption to expire.

Malcolm Mikkelsen, who served as president of Washburn Student Government until Wednesday, said he and his fellow Washburn students will have to make the best of the situation given that any additional manuevers in the Kansas legislature to change the law before July 1 aren’t likely.

"I think it started to set in the longer it went," he said, referring to the legislative attempts to alter the state law. "After those failed, we were already prepared to kind of handle it. Now I think everyone is ready to move on and make sure all the training is there and that all students are comfortable and knowledgeable of our policy."

Representatives of Washburn Faculty Senate presented the regents with a statement in further opposition of the weapons policy.

"The concealed carry of firearms on campus - in residence halls, classrooms, and arenas - threatens to restrict open discussion and debate, presents dangers for the physical safety of students, faculty and staff, and hampers the ability of institutions to recruit faculty and staff and thrive within their budgets," the statement read in part.

Shaun Schmidt, president of the Washburn Faculty Senate, said he and other members of the senate felt they needed to make the statement, knowing the policy is going to officially begin July 1

"There’s not much we can do with the legislature’s current position," he said.

Schmidt said he and other campus staff have confidence the Washburn police officers will respond to emergencies involving a weapon. However, he said much of the concerns he and his colleagues have lies with potential student suicides and accidential discharges either in the classroom or residence halls.

Chris Enos, Washburn’s chief of police, said a small percentage of students 21 years or older live on campus. He said public information and educational materials will be provided to students once the policy takes effect July 1 to promote safety.

Eric Grospitch, vice president of student life, has previously said that while campus officials won’t be allowed by law to ask whether a student has a concealed weapon, students who don’t want to room with a student who does have a handgun will be able to ask for a transfer if space allows.

Contact reporter Angela Deines at (785) 295-1143 or follow her on Twitter @AngelaDeines.