The students who camped out at the top of Morton Hill for a week last quarter were at it again Sunday, and they hope to become more visible in the future.
In a repeat of the Occupy Wall Street-inspired events that took place on Ohio University’s campus last quarter, almost 10 OU students held a “general assembly” to plan the return of the Occupy OhioU demonstrations and to inform students about their goals.
“We want students to know that we aren’t crazy activists,” said Tyler Barton, a senior studying chemistry and an Occupy OhioU organizer.
The Occupy OhioU organizers said students’ rights are limited because they can’t vote for student trustees, and that student trustees’ rights are limited because they don’t have a vote on the Board of Trustees.
Students at the general assembly said they were concerned about yearly increases in tuition. This year, in-state students paid $9,870 for tuition.
OU is the 15th most expensive public school in the United States, Barton said.
“We want the university to be responsible to us,” said Derrick Thomas, a sophomore studying history.
They discussed how banks control students for years after graduation because many of them will be repaying student debt for much of their lives.
“Students deserve the right to be integrated on how the university is run,” Barton said. “We are just tired of how students are being exploited by the university system.”
The next Occupy OhioU event is planned for March 1. There will be a rally at noon by the Civil War monument on College Green, followed by a march and a demonstration outside Cutler Hall.
Barton said he hopes to see several hundred people attend the event.
“We have a pretty well-done outreach plan, but it will mostly be by word of mouth,” Barton said.
Occupy OhioU will hold a teach-in and discussion every Sunday at 2 p.m. in the grassy area on top of Morton Hill. The demonstration organizers hope to encourage more students and Athens residents to be regularly involved, even students who disagree with their points.
“We just want the students to know the facts about the issues that affect every one of them, “ said Katie O’Neal, a senior studying history.
tt182810@ohiou.edu
