Ohio University is one of five colleges in Ohio having a rally Thursday connected to the Million Student March.
Thursday, Nov. 12, there will be dozens of rallies across the country connected to the Million Student March, and Ohio University is just one of five colleges in Ohio that is having a rally. The three nationwide demands for the MSM are:
1. Tuition-free public college
2. Cancellation of all student debt
3. $15/hr campus-wide minimum wage at every college in the country
While these demands are extremely important, are they really enough to achieve a future that works for everyone rather than a select few? The three demands would radically change the lives of all students for the better, but what about the issues of racism, sexism and rape culture, academic freedom and climate change? And where do grad students, faculty and staff fit into these demands?
These are questions that need to be confronted by every member of the OU community, and that is why Thursday at 5 p.m. at the top of Baker, there will be a Rally for Campus Democracy. This rally will tie in the three demands of the nationwide march with what is already being advocated for on this campus like student worker unionization, a socially responsible and transparent endowment, student oversight on a campus wide climate survey, the implementation of cultural competency classes for first-year students, and issues brought forth by graduate students, faculty and staff.
It’s easy to recognize that all of these are important, but it’s necessary to realize that they are all connected. Students, faculty and staff run this university and make it the great place it is, so why are we all continually shut out of every decision that affects all of us?
In my eyes, we have no power or influence to create change because every major decision is made between the administration, the Board of Trustees, the OU Foundation and major donors of the university. So how do we break through this bubble and have our voices heard?
The first step is to realize that all our struggles are connected whether we are undergrads, grad students, faculty or staff. We all have a stake in this fight, and we must come together and educate ourselves on all of these important issues.
Finally, we must continue to organize and demand, as a united voice, that our university takes the necessary steps to change our future for the better. This is much easier said than done and the Rally for Campus Democracy is just the beginning, but together we can truly change this university for the better. I know I’ll be there to advocate for action on climate change, specifically a fossil fuel free endowment, and I think there is an issue for every member of this community to support, if not all of them.
Nothing great has ever been accomplished without a fight, and the fight for a truly democratic university is underway! Will you be a part of it?
Grant Stover is a junior studying English.
