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If Arizona’s legislature approves a bill allowing concealed weapons on campuses, university and community college presidents who want to keep guns out of their classrooms will have to pay a hefty price.

BY THE NUMBERS ASU Total buildings: 929 Installaton costs: $4.6 million Cost of lockers: $400 thousand Total: $5 million UA Total buildings: 791 Installaton costs: $4.0 million Cost of lockers: $300 thousand Total: $4.3 million NAU Total buildings: 108 Installaton costs: $540 thousand Cost of lockers: $46 thousand Total: $586 thousand

And that price tag could reach up to $10 million for Arizona’s three public universities .

If university or college leaders decide a building should be gun-free, the law requires the installation of secured gun lockers at one main entrance or exit.

With three public universities as well as 19 community colleges, some with multiple campuses, the costs from SB 1474 could reach astronomical levels, school officials say.

Currently, there are 1,828 buildings at Arizona’s three major public universities that would apply, according to each university’s department of real estate. If each building were secured per the requirement—at one main entrance or exit—the three universities would incur a total combined cost of at least $10 million.

The legislature is offering no funds to secure guns outside the classroom, so that burden will be left to the schools. Some believe the costs will be so high that officials already struggling with financial needs will be forced to let in the guns.

A hidden cost for schools would be that of maintaining a regular police presence to help ensure the security of the locked up weapons. “We don’t have anywhere near an adequate number to do that,” said Chief Anthony Daykin of the University of Arizona.

University of Arizona President Eugene Sander is concerned about the potential costs.

“Considering the fact that our state budget has been cut by approximately $180 million, a legislative mandate to spend academic dollars for gun lockers is misguided,” Sander said in a prepared statement.

He said he “keep[s] hoping that reason prevails” when a final vote comes.

Although Tucson Unified School District cut its Mexican American Studies program under political pressure from state officials, cultural studies at the university and community college level remain a significant driving factor in education throughout the state of Arizona.

And there’s a reason these types of programs are needed, experts argue. Arizona’s population is becoming much more diverse. According to the 2010 USA TODAY census data, Arizona ranks 10th in the nation in diversity index.

There are also statewide cultural groups like the Arizona Asian American Association that connect with the state community and raise diversity awareness in a positive and objective way.

Arizona-Sonora News Service spoke with educators and a culture association membership coordinator throughout Arizona to better understand what it means to teach culture, the educational significance and the relationship with the changing racial population makeup in Arizona. 

Listen to varied viewpoints on the issue from educators in the state:

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It’s a classic good news bad news story.

Arizona has the lowest reported rate of cancer in the nation, but those who get cancer here, are more likely to die from it.

That’s because people in Arizona wait too long to get checked for cancer, and once diagnosed, the disease overtakes most cures.