Professors Support
Occupy the Oval
On Monday, October 24th, Ohio State students will take their place at the front of a student-led movement to Occupy the Oval. As educators at The Ohio State University, a publicly-funded state university, we join with educators state- and nationwide who are concerned about the impact of corporate interests and privatization on our ability to provide the world-class teaching and research our students deserve.
We bear witness to...
...the exorbitant debt our students are taking on in pursuit of an education they've been told is necessary to making them competitive in a contracting job market.
...the privatization of the university’s public spaces and goods.
...continued attempts to eradicate the presence of unions from college campuses, relegating the vibrant U.S. labor movement to the pages of history textbooks.
Our students’ actions offer practical lessons in democratic citizenship.
Indeed their protest exemplifies the University's motto: Disciplina in civitatem.
Thus, we stand proudly behind our students as they seek social justice.
We stand with our students as they labor to build a civil society that reflects the interests of all people, not just the wealthy 1%.
How can educators support Occupy the Oval?
* Come to the teach-in speak out on Monday, October 24th, 2-3pm and discuss with students your ideals for higher education
* Link course materials to the the Occupy moment taking place globally
* Connect movements from your days at university to the struggles students face today
* Debate House Resolution 365, a bill that includes forgiving student debt to stimulate the economy
* Discuss the historical precedence for the right to free assembly, protest, the privatization of public spaces, and the financialization of daily life * Create an "intellectual scavenger hunt" connecting the themes of the Occupy moment to your course content. Book smarts meets street smarts!
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