MONMOUTH, Ore. - Two Oregon legislators believe the state's college campuses are violating state law when it comes to concealed weapons.

It is legal in Oregon to carry a licensed concealed weapon in a public place, which gun rights advocates insist includes colleges and universities. But campus officials have policies that state otherwise.

The issue came to light again after a Western Oregon University student was recently arrested for having a gun on the Monmouth campus.

Rep. Bruce Hanna (R-Roseburg) and Rep. Kim Thatcher (R-Keizer) , as well as some students, believe that was wrong.

In a letter to the colleges and universities, the legislators say: "We are concerned about the rights of legal gun owners throughout our state and hope the university system will seek to remove any administrative rules or other policies which infringe on those rights."

At WOU, people are prohibited from carrying guns on campus even if they are licensed to carry a concealed weapon. The university's president has the "authority to control, manage and regulate behavior on campus," according to the policy. READ THE FULL POLICY

Even campus security isn't allowed to carry weapons.

Student Teresa Lucas has a permit to carry a concealed gun, but she doesn't carry it on campus at WOU.

"If somebody went out of their way to get a concealed carry permit, then they went through the safety training, they know guns are a tool like anything else," she said. "You need to know them in and out and know you need to be safe and be responsible."

Lucas thinks anyone who follows state law shouldn't be considered a criminal.

"They want to be lawful," she said. "That's why they get a concealed carry permit, because they want to carry a weapon and do it lawfully."

Student Austin Karp-Evans thinks at least security officers on campus should carry guns.

"If campus security went through extensive training and they had guns, maybe," she said. "But just for the general public to have a license and bring it on campus? I don't think that's right."

TJ Nettles was studying nearby when the WOU student who had a license to carry a concealed weapon was arrested for having a gun in a public building.

"Didn't pull the gun, didn't shoot anybody," he said, "but when I found out about it and what happened and it was just 30 feet away from me and I didn't even know about it, I was just in shock."

While defending the right to carry concealed weapons, Rep. Thatcher is also working on legislation that would enhance security measures at Oregon's public colleges.