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Students planning to see Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor at the Huntsman Center should be aware of new security protocols put in place for the event.
One of these new security measures will be requiring attendees to “pass through a metal detector and have their bags checked” according to a press release by the U’s public relation communications.
Maria O’Mara, communications director for the U, explained these altered guidelines are because of Utah’s concealed carry law. The U complies with the state law allowing a permit holder to possess a concealed weapon on campus. However, in accordance with federal security guidelines through the United States Marshals office, no guns or other weapons will be permitted at the venue for Justice Sotomayor’s visit, O’Mara said.
Patrick McShane, program manager for the U’s MUSE Project, encouraged students to be aware of these changes and take proper precautions.
“Students, if they are able, should try not to bring in any bags or purses that will [not] go through a security scan,” McShane said. “The reason this is important to the event is to provide a safe environment for those attending.”
McShane didn’t think these security precautions would have an overall impact on the success of the event.
“We have had a really great response from students and the community at large about this event,” McShane said. “We initially started distributing tickets to students and staff back in November and gave 800 away on the very first day.”
Shawn Smith, a sophomore in communications, has been looking forward to seeing Sotomayor since last semester, but was unaware of the security protocols.
“It almost feels like I’m going to be getting on a plane,” Smith said, “not seeing a speaker at the Huntsman.”
To prepare for Justice Sotomayor, MUSE has also sponsored a number of lunchtime lectures that all revolve around the theme of justice. A full list of these upcoming dates can be found on http://muse.utah.edu/theme#lunchtime_lectures.
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