A couple of thoughts.

Yes, these are the same people you see at football games (although they usually are better hidden).

1. It is a bad PR move and looks bad for the university - ESPECIALLY a university in Ohio. They should also be more discreet and maybe realize that it looks like a damn gun instead of a scope.
2. That being said, there may be a protocol that when x number of people are gathered in an area, they have to deploy these people.
3. I just read that some of them WERE armed. thelantern.com/…/university-says-officers-had-rea…