University Police advises students to "improvise"

[Tacti-square]

Today my building was given a rundown of "Run, Hide, Defend," which is the college preparedness drill for an active shooter on campus. My question to UPD is this: how do you expect us to defend ourselves against a violent attacker when we aren't even allowed to carry knives on campus, let alone firearms? Why should we have to "improvise weapons" in the forms of chairs or fire extinguishers when we are already at such a disadvantage defensively? I do not feel as though my right to defend myself is being upheld or respected at this university, nor do I believe the response time of a police department is something I want to trust my life with.

I would like to know why items such as knives are not allowed to be carried on campus if defending ourselves is so very clearly stated for an emergency such as an active shooter. Yes, I am aware of the blade length and build exceptions, but those are truly pathetic. They can't possibly expect anyone to fight a gunman with a pocketknife, do they?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VcSwejU2D0

[Safetyhit]

They can't possibly expect anyone to fight a gunman with a pocketknife, do they?

Of course not. They'd much rather you utilize a pair of the teacher's scissors or a pencil.

[Scrubber3]

Write letters, picket, do what you can to change things. In the meantime. Get a tactical pen and a Kevlar backpack. Carry mace if you can and be in the best shape you can be in.

Maybe one day you'll be able to change some minds.

[black22rifle]

Ultimately you must decide what is more important to you. I believe that the chances of you getting caught carrying are far slimmer than actually having to use it so in my opinion it is worth the risk. Your degree or what you have of it is no good to you if you are either death or disabled and can not use it.

[Dead Man]

I stopped promoting carrying guns to people who don't already a long time ago. These situations are incredibly rare- you're hundreds of times more likely to hit the Powerball jackpot than to become the victim of an active shooter. You can train for it, but you can't train for it. People who will not train for it are completely ****ed, and we all know probably 9 out of 10 people carrying guns don't "train" any more than a few magazines at the cold range a few times a year.

A PSA video can't change anything; not for the better, nor the worse. I wouldn't waist any brain calories on it at all.

[Benito]

Yep, so that's how we came to be the pre-eminent civilization on the planet, not to mention the top of the food chain.
By adhering to the time-tested principles of: Run, Cower under a desk, Die begging for your life.
Natural selection at work

[El Cid]

Most colleges and universities are run by the liberal idiots who fear guns. It's their playground. It sucks - but that's what we are stuck with in most cases.

That said - if you're in a classroom and there is an active shooter there is a technique that has a high probability of success. The fewer doors the better. But picture a classroom with a single door. Have everyone stack on the inside of the door and wait. Maybe the shooter looks in the window and sees an empty room, passing it by. If he enters, everyone stacked up jumps him.

Yes - some of you may get shot. Some of you may die. But no matter what type of firearm he has, he won't be able to stop the dogpile. This of course works best on single shooters and thugs who aren't wearing explosives. But the technique will work and will stop the killing. And it beats the hell out of hiding under a desk and hoping he doesn't shoot you. I'd rather get dead fighting to the very end than letting some wanker with a gun casually decide my fate.

[Spectre'sWrath]

My wife works at the local community college (Reading Area Community College) and they went through a similar "Active shooter response" course. Basically, a dude went on for over an hour on how they could stack chairs against a door. The fact that a lot of the classrooms have a giant glass wall didn't seem to enter into his plan. Pathetic. Sadly, the decision must be made to act within your limitations, knowing, as is stated above, that some will die.

[Plumber237]

People running colleges take their "expertise" from their idols in congress...make rules, laws, and programs even though you have no knowledge at all about what you're talking about. I'd say screw it and get a small folder, idk about your college, but I normally had a small folder on me when on campus...nobody ever said anything. YMMV depending on strictness, I'm sure colleges have gotten even worse since I've been out (5+ years).

[T2C]

Most colleges and universities are run by the liberal idiots who fear guns. It's their playground. It sucks - but that's what we are stuck with in most cases.

Therein lies the problem. Institutes of higher learning are run by liberals promoting their liberal agenda usually funded by public money.