Carrying a gun in college is currently forbidden in 41 states either through legislation, or by the colleges themselves; in nine other states it is permitted with some restrictions, including a ban on taking guns into classrooms and dormitories.
Those who back the law claim the measure could be the only way to prevent sexual assaults on campus, while its opponents argue that the access to guns may cause an increase in accidents among students.
According to The New York Times' Wednesday article, the bill is not widely supported among students and college presidents. The newspaper cited a survey showing that 67 percent of male students and 86 percent of female students are against the new blueprint.
Americans have the right to carry arms due to the Second Amendment to the country's Constitution. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 34 percent of Americans had a gun in their home in 2014.
In 2007, 33 people were killed in Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in Blacksburg, Virginia Tech, during two attacks carried out by student Seung-Hui Cho who committed suicide after the incident. There have been about 20 other cases of shootings on campus in recent years in the United States.
