Ferris State University weapons policy: please help me decode/any case law

[Macchina]

The Ferris State University's weapon definition is defined as follows:

Definitions and Exceptions
Weapons, for the purposes of this policy, are defined as: (1) a loaded or unloaded
firearm, whether operable or inoperable, (2) a knife, stabbing instrument, brass
knuckles, blackjack, club, or other object specifically designed or customarily
carried or possessed for use as a weapon, (3) an object that is likely to cause death
or bodily injury when used as a weapon and that is used as a weapon or carried or
possessed for use as a weapon, or (4) an object or device that is used or fashioned
in a manner to lead a person to believe the object or device is a firearm or an
object which is likely to cause death or bodily injury.

Am I reading this correctly: If I do not use a knife (or ever say I will use a knife) to cause death or bodily injury, then I can carry any size knife I want to. I would never use my knife to do harm, I really do carry it as a tool at all times. Any Ferris State (Grand Rapids, MI campus) University grads or students that know a little more about there policies?

Here is the link to the document I got the quote from.

 

[TOM1960]

Policies are subject to interpretation, usually by the dean or one of his/her delegates. The best solution is to carry a 3" or 4" lockblade folder deep in your pocket, completely concealed, and not worry about it. Just for the record, I carried a 4" Gerber FS II folding knife through four years of college without incident. I attended Merrimack College in North Andover, MA which is a very liberal (read: anti-weapon) institution, indeed. Keep your knife out of sight and you won't have any problems.

 

[cmdionne]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. I went to Umich in Ann Arbor and we were allowed to have up to a 3" non locking or a 2.5" locking I believe. However we had a policy that spelled this out for us.

I find it hard that Ferris State (A place where you can leave your guns with public safety) would really care about anything like a normal pocket knife. Does GR have it's own knife ordinance?, if so I would follow that.

Unless you start waving around your knife and scaring people it's unlikely to be an issue, however it still could become an issue, and perhaps even one that could end your education at Ferris.

However by the letter of that statute as I read the definition of weapon does include the term knife, so a weapon can be a knife, but is a knife always a weapon? I don't know, but I doubt it.

I would keep it under 3" for sure, and the less tactical looking the better. Something traditional (Buck, some sort of slipjoint, or a SAK) would be my top choice. You could always email public safety to see what their interpretation of the weapons policy is.

Really crappy policy though, even at Wayne State I'm allowed to carry anything up to 3".

 

[artmichalek]

Part 4 is where you can get into trouble. It doesn't really matter what your intentions are if someone else files a complaint because they feel threatened by your possession of a knife or really any other object. If you follow cmdionne's advice you should be alright.