TargetTalk

I am a college student and am attempting to start a shooting club at my university. The university is liberal as far as gun policy goes, and the nearest range is the private range I've shot at since I was ten, but I would like to give it a shot anyways.
I think I have three ways of approaching this each way with different goals.

1- Start a school sponsored club to get funding from the university, and just shoot at my range. And try to get a gun safe on campus. (Problem: what’s in it for them to have the safe on campus?)

2- Un-officially start a club by submitting flyers to go around campus boosting interest to get people to join my club and the shooting teams there.

3- Start an actual university shooting team proposing to the school that they build a range to attract students and prestige. (Problem: convincing the university there is enough in it for them, and coming up with a really good proposal analyzing economic factors in building a range and having a team - I don’t know where to get any of that information I would also need to know statistics on what majors are studied by target shooters, as well as how they would acquire a coaching staff).

If anyone would be so kind as to comment on my ideas and if possible comment on how to go about getting the necessary information for plan 3, I would greatly appreciate it so I can better weigh the alternatives and select the most prudent approach.
Thank you

Staring a club is a great idea, but unfortunately, getting university funding may be a real pain. You could have graduated before the university moves forward. Many years ago, when I attended Lousiana State U. we tried to get a sailing club started. Even though we had donated boats, the paperwork, reports, plans, etc. that the university required were endless. eventually the idea died, so we just did it informally. We were never able to compete against other schools because we were not an official club.

I shoot archery and have seen similar posts on archerytalk.com. Most of the college's concerns were with safety. Some students gathered data on archery being a safe sport, but that was only part of what they need to supply. I haven't heard lately as to how they are doing.

If I were you, I'd just put up flyers and try to get shooters to the local range. You can form an informal "club" that is not supported by the school. The disadvantage is that you will not get school funding, which can allow you to grow. The advantage is that you can get together, shoot and have fun, without spending all of your free time trying to get official university recognition.

I know that Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, OH has a "trapshooting team". They are an unofficial group that gets together and shoots at a local range. I don't think they get any funding from the school.

5 years ago we were in the same spot you are, we knew we had to start a registered student organization. We talked to faculty members until we found a shooter. That faculty member then was our sponsor to the Student Life division (not sure what your U. organization would call this group). Sponsor then helped find a location for the range (we started with movable target backers in a storage facility of the Athlethic Dept.). Went to the NRA Foundation to get startup equipment, and spread the club by word of mouth, and Student Life club day activities. Check with the U.'s ROTC unit also, will find interested shooters there. 5 years later, have about 30 students and communtiy folks shooting two afternoons and nites a week, and have teams in the NRA Collegiate Sectional club catagory.

E-mail me for some other ideas.

University faculty see their budget numbers in their sleep. Count on this. The real power to getting things done in a University lies with those that make all of the huge donations. Within this group find someone who is interested in guns. This shouldn't be difficult as alot of big money is interested and attend extended safari based vacations costing 100's of thousands. These are the people that have the power to fund a new range and they have the University by the short and curlies. They love the thought of immortalization by naming the new range after themselves. Sell this idea. Everybody wins.

out of curiosity, what school do you go to?

I go to the university of portland in portland oregon

hey! that's cool. i go to the university of akron, but an originally from salem.

anyways, i know that oregon state has a club team, so maybe you can get in contact with them to get some help setting things up. also if you could get in touch with some of the local jr. programs they might be able to give suggestions etc. good luck with things. i would love to see the pilots get a team going.