‘COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS ‘THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN Department of Eero - Ati, Test 787120301 = (512) 471-3241 - BAX (512) 471-3510 Daniel S. Hamermests E-mail: hamermer@eco stexas eds ‘Sue Killam Professor Emeritus Office Telephone: (512) 475-8526 October 4, 2015 President Gregory Fenves University of Texas at Austin Dear President Fenves: Tcame to the University as professor of economics in 1993 and from1993-2014 taught over 8,000 students, most in large classes of Introductory Microeconomics, ECO 304K. In some semesters these groups of 18-year-olds constituted the largest single course on campus. During that time I received numerous university-wide teaching awards, Although I retired in August 2014, Thad an agreement with my Department to teach this course again each of Fall 2015, 2016 and 2017. Indeed, I am teaching it this semester (to 475 students). As much as I have loved the experience of teaching and introducing these students to economics at the University, I have decided not to continue with this agreement and will not be teaching here in Fall 2016 and 2017. With a huge group of students my perception is that the risk that a disgruntled student might bring a gun into the classroom and start shooting at me has been substantially enhanced by the concealed-carry law. Out of self-protection I have chosen to spend part of next Fall at the University of Sydney, where, among other things, this risk seems lower. T cannot believe that I am the only potential or current faculty member who is aware of and disturbed by this heightened risk. As I wrote on my blog several years ago, no doubt this law will make it more difficult to attract faculty, especially those who are willing and able to teach large groups of students. Anything that can be done to mitigate this risk should be implemented. Applying this law broadly will detract from both faculty well-being and from the national and intemational reputation of this University. Sincerely yours, Daniel S. Hamermesh ‘Sue Killam Professor Emeritus and Professor of Economics, Royal Holloway University of London, and Research Associate, IZA and NBER ce. Abrevaya