The Board of Trustees voted Friday to opt out of Texas Senate Bill 11.

The bill, known as campus carry, allows anyone with a concealed handgun license to carry a weapon on public and private college campuses. By choosing to opt out, the board has decided to keep TCU a gun free zone.

Chancellor Boschini said the board made this decision after careful consideration of the campus debates, forums and the votes of the student, faculty and staff governance groups.

“I do really think the board listened to both sides of the debate,” Boschini said. “I know I did.”

The board has now charged the administration with figuring out the rules and regulations for how TCU opts out while also following state law, Boschini said.

Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Kathy Cavins-Tull will be in charge of this effort. The Texas deadline for opting out of campus carry is Aug. 1, 2016.

In an email sent to the the TCU community, Cavins-Tull said, “The university will now begin the process of defining all strategies and policies associated with this board decision.”

In addition to voting no to campus carry, the board approved the hiring of more TCU police officers. The increase will result in one more officer per eight hour shift on campus. Boschini said this decision came about after the campus carry debate generated a larger discussion about campus safety.

“We just want to make sure we have plenty of coverage on campus,” Boschini said. “We’re going for more visibility around our campus. This is an extremely safe place but it’s because we don’t take it for granted.”

Cavins-Tull said that a fact sheet highlighting additional security measures around campus would be available on the TCU website later this afternoon.

“The safety and security of our community are of the utmost importance,” Cavins-Tull said. “It was quite clear that no matter which side of the issue each person felt was best, all cared deeply about the safety of the community.”