As a college student, I would feel a lot more secure with a concealed-carry, but the idea of students having concealed-carry is only good until the first weekend after they get their gun rolls around- I’m guessing about 1/2 of campus gets smashed thursday-saturday nights every single weekend, every holiday, day off, or any other imaginable excuse for partying. Drunk college students with guns is NOT a good idea, and nobody ever really gets arrested for underage drinking, so trying to restrict it with background checks wouldn’t work too well.
In general (IMO), State CCW regs are overly restrictive, and way too expensive. I doubt your average college student will bother, even with reasonable (or ‘ultra-liberal’) CCW regs. FWIW, and if I remember correctly, folks up in Vermont (including college students) have a constitutional right to carry weapons. Maybe you can provide some statistics from the great State of Vermont, showing that murder & mayhem have increased on Vermont college campuses (or is it campi?) as a result of the State’s firearms laws..
You may be underestimating the sobering effect the responsibility of carrying a deadly weapon has on the permittee, especially when there is the possibility of being involved in a misunderstood third-party situation. It really makes for some shifts in mindset and heightened awareness.
Obtaining the permit is a maturing experience, in and of itself.