Thread: I can't use my straight at college!

Originally Posted by jcw122

Where in the policy did it say this?

My you are a Fresh Fish aren't you!

Originally Posted by itsbaker

Take a quick look at the documents at the Penn State Residence Life website at Penn State Residence Life.

There is no mention at all of razors in the Community Standards Code, and the only mention of knives says that you wouldn't be punished that badly even if someone did complain.

• Article in house newsletter about the weapons policy
• Conversation with University Police about weapons policy
• Bulletin board about weapons policy
Student possesses a minor weapon without apparent
prior knowledge of University policy and the
student removes the weapon from the premises
immediately. LC to CR

In my experience, you aren't going to get in trouble for anything in a dorm unless you make trouble for someone else, or if you somehow make someone with authority want to get you in trouble. I wouldn't worry too much about it, I don't think they'd expel you for shaving.

Right there a student without prior knowledge of the policy (ignorant thereof) has to remove the weapon from the premises. This implies that if you did have prior knowledge of the policy, you could be punished more severely. In other words you are better off with less knowledge, ergo less education.

Welcome to life. The lowest common denominator gets the perks while the educated and hard working pay for them.

Originally Posted by jcw122

I found the actual Weapons Policy on the PSU website actually. It is extremely blurry with regards to the definition of knives:

Any knife with a blade larger than that of a folding pocket knife; dagger; razor or other cutting instrument, the blade of which is exposed in an automatic way by switch, push-button, spring mechanism, or otherwise.

Doesn't seem blurry to me, at least concerning what matters to you.
Non-automatically opening razors are NOT forbidden under that rule.
End of problem.

In the absence of any other rule on the subject you can take that as PERMISSION to take your razor.

It would be non-sensical to specifically ban automatically opening razors, if manually opening razors were also banned. If that were the case they would just ban ... "razors"!!!

Of course it wouldn't be the first time a rule book was an illogical mish-mash of vague contradictory statements, but if by some freak chance you ever had to defend taking your razor in you would just have to quote the rule and explain the only reasonable interpretation of it ... that straight razors are allowed.

While you seem to be getting a degree of support from the forum I think the University has no choice but to say no. You certainly don't get my sympathy vote for your own naivety.

Think of the headlines in the local paper.
Death by cut throat.........
A young man has had his throat cut at birthday party. Things got out of hand said 19 year old Yasu who was still shaking from the terrifying experience. Yasu was the dead boys boyfriend. There was blood everywhere. It looked like a mafia movie. Jason was only playing, he didn't mean to do it. How could he know it was so sharp he's never seen anything like that in his life.
The University was aware that their student had a cut throat razor in his bedroom . They had even given him permission to bring it to the University and this against the general no knives security policy.
The father of the dead young man said I'll sue, somebody is going to pay very heavily for this. Doesn't anybody care anymore. His mother had made sure he asked before he took it to the campus.

Welcome to 2009 and get real. Use your brain in future and if you want to feel ****ed that's OK. But your mother was correct and sharp tools at University are a stupid idea. You know this already so don't try looking for a sympathy vote.

I hope your education helps you improve your commonsense.

Success!!!!!! Case solved!!! I emailed the University Police last night and I got a reply today saying that they saw no reason I should not be able to use it to shave!!!

YES! Haha, a little extra work pays off.

Originally Posted by Alraz

jcw122, I am sure that you will find a way around this. Just do not give up.

Al raz.

Thanks, and I did it

Originally Posted by poona

Dear oh dear. The naivity of youth eh.. why on earth did you ask them to begin with.............. ????

I'm currently at Uni with around 10 straights.. I for sure will never ask if I'm allowed to have them here.

Because I like to do things "the right way". I like to get permission and make things work the way they are supposed to, and not be evasive and deviant.

Good job! Glad to hear you got it figured out. Now to work out the logistics!

JCW122,

You are clearly a very responsible person. But not everybody is. I'm sure you and your razor will get on fine anywhere.

English

Originally Posted by jcw122

Success!!!!!! Case solved!!! I emailed the University Police last night and I got a reply today saying that they saw no reason I should not be able to use it to shave!!!

YES! Haha, a little extra work pays off.

Well done. I've only been lurking on his thread but am pleased for you that you managed to get it sorted and that common sense has prevailed (whatever common sense is, very complicated and horribly normative idea when you think about it).

Glad you found a good resolution for this.

I knew you were going to do it. You found a pretty good and easy one, I thought of a couple that were slightly more sophisticated. Now, it is your responsibility to keep your razors safe and not make of razor shaving a school show. You may see your privileges revoked the day that somebody slashes his face with a straight... ;-)

Al raz.