To put it bluntly, Occupy UC Davis has alienated the student population. The movement received an outpouring of support following the pepper spray incident, but whatever goodwill that existed on Nov. 18 is now nowhere to be found. Students, faculty and staff have been exhausted by the movement’s nonstop actions to disrupt campus business. We have to keep in mind that the great majority of us are here to receive an education.
We all have our academic and personal commitments. Being a student here is hectic enough. What we don’t need is the extra inconvenience of not being able to pay our rent and bills just because a group of the same 14 students sit outside U.S. Bank every single day. Fine, there is another U.S. Bank branch in downtown that people can go to. But what makes the Occupiers so special that they can obstruct others’ rights to access a campus resource? One should ask the question: Would it be alright if Occupiers sat down in front of the CoHo, shutting it down day after day so hungry students couldn’t eat lunch?
Of course, I understand the concerns of the Occupy movement and most students appreciate some of their actions that have raised awareness. At some point, though, enough is enough. We cannot “indefinitely” have an occupation everywhere on campus. They don’t understand the disruption and harm they are causing to our campus community. They want free tuition, yet the Occupiers are causing the university to spend money that would have gone toward student programs and academics, but instead is being spent to clean up beer bottles and marijuana in Dutton Hall and the CCC.
The question we should also ask is: Why is the university not enforcing any rules and laws? The answer: Well, the university is afraid, especially after the pepper spray incident. However, that does not mean Occupiers are justified in taking advantage of the situation and disrupting the campus and thus the students they claim to be representing. The Occupy UC Davis movement has taken a very radical turn — it is now run by anarchists who somehow believe the occupation of the Cross Cultural Center and U.S. Bank will lead to free college tuition for all California residents.
Students, the other 99 percent who are either indifferent or against what Occupy is doing to our campus: You need to rise up and let your voices be heard to the administration. Have no fear about speaking up. Remember, this is your campus. We are all paying tuition here. Send in your e-mails, call up the chancellor. We need your help to get the message across to the administration: Do something. Enough is enough. We are fed up with the spineless indifference of the administration, and we need a return to peace on this campus. Chancellor Katehi, do something!
Tim, you are SO correct. We, the students, staff, faculty, alums and parents are so OVER Occupy. Their 15 minutes is over; they have failed to accomplish anything and have alienated people who sympathized after the pepper spray incident. The bank occupation is not hurting big banking, it’s hurting students. The cottage occupation was SO misguided and misdirected—harming EOP and foster children. What were they thinking?? Move along. NOW is the time for LEADERSHIP from the Chancellor—if she can’t do it, UC needs to find someone who can or we will permanently lose UC Davis as we know and love it.