As of Oct. 15, Texas A&M University-Commerce no longer allows faculty, staff, or students to bring dogs or other pets into buildings on campus.
Dr. Randy McBroom, the associate vice president for academic affairs, sent an email to the university communicating the new policy.
“It has come to our attention that some faculty members, staff members, and students are bringing dogs and other pets into the academic buildings, including offices and classrooms,” the e-mail said. “Due to health, hygiene and safety issues, as well as liability issues, and the potential for classroom or office disruption, faculty members, staff members, and students should not bring dogs and other pets into buildings on campus.”
McBroom said the policy was not aimed at anyone in particular and that the reason the university decided to address the issue was the unusual rise in the number of dogs people were bringing into buildings this semester.
“We had people bring this issue to our attention,” McBroom said. “We weren’t targeting anyone. I actually didn’t know any names when the email was sent out.”
There was no current policy in place because it had not been an issue before. According to McBroom, there were no specific incidents that prompted the policy.
“There was sort of an understanding among professors not to bring their dogs,” McBroom said.
He did mention service dogs were still allowed in academic buildings because, due to their training, they didn’t pose any health hazard to students.
The policy was met with respect and disappointment from A&M-Commerce staff and students.
“I respect the policies of the university,” Dr. Sharon Kowalsky said. “I enjoyed bringing my dog to school, but if university doesn’t like it, then I respect that.”
Kowalsky didn’t know of any circumstance that caused the policy.
“People brought their dogs as long as it wasn’t obtrusive and didn’t disrupt the classes,” she said.
Students look at the issue a little bit differently than the university.
“I’m disappointed because I never saw it as a problem,” Breanna Irvin, freshman political science major said. “It was never an issue. It doesn’t make any sense to me that A&M-Commerce would want to attract feral cats and not allow professors to bring their dogs.”