No matter how many safeguards are put in place on a college campus, there are always going to be students on this campus — and others nationally — who feel unsafe. Whether we have the best police officers in the country or walk home with dozens of friends on a Friday night, the next morning or the next week, a crime alert could come and remind us of the ubiquity of crime.

This year, 12 state legislatures will decide whether to allow concealed carry on campus. Considering people are always trying to improve on-campus safety measures, allowing concealed carry on campus just doesn’t make sense. Seven states currently allow concealed carry on campuses, while 23 states allow individual schools to independently make the decision. The 20 other states — including Illinois — forbid on-campus concealed carry.

Recently, shots were fired at Canopy Club, and there is gun-related violence occurring in our neighboring communities and at colleges across the nation too frequently (such as Purdue University last year). It should be clear the answer to stopping campus gun violence is not the presence of more guns. Regardless of whether concealed carry is allowed statewide, it is not a policy that is appropriate for colleges and universities.

Lawmakers supporting these rules, the National Rifle Association and Students for Concealed Carry, all argue that concealed carry will help decrease campus crimes such as sexual assault. While the threat of sexual assault is inarguably something that needs to be addressed and fought against, all variables considered, states and campus communities should be able to think of other measures that are more protective for all students. Guns on campuses are not an answer to these problems. Instead, they would be a catalyst for more crime.

When the presence of alcohol at schools is factored in, the plausibility for accidents is too high. If an intoxicated or drugged woman is trying to protect herself in the face of sexual assault and is overpowered, the plausibility for harm is too high. At a campus that constantly sees visitors, outside community members and is heavily populated, the plausibility of violence is too high.

Campuses should be making strides to be safer for all students, but not through concealed carry. Almost 80 percent of students, 95 percent of college presidents and 89 percent of police chiefs are against these policies. It’s time for states across the country to listen to them.