Ashley, do you think acknowledgement of these things affecting their power over people might also be a clue about the reason for their existence and why they don't follow the normal rules? It seems as if your professor refuses to acknowledge them and therefore can't see them and they can't affect him. But a college campus breeds rumors easily in general, so any creatures affected by even the simplest beliefs or fears could easily grow in strength and overtake things. And considering that there are so many different beliefs surrounding urban legends, it makes sense that a single set of rules wouldn't apply to these things.

You already know dark and unnatural things exist so it was easy for you to believe in the creatures on campus too - and you're clearly affected strongly by their presence. But if you hadn't turned toward the stabbed student to confirm it was there, could it have ever harmed you? And when you escape the thing that eats students in the halfway place, by refusing to acknowledge it, isn't that the same thing as what the professor is doing?

Edit: And I meant to add that perhaps the Rain Chasers are funded because whoever is behind this needs the belief of the creatures and the rumors of them on campus to continue in order to give the creatures the power that they need.