LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Occupy FIU movement gains national attention

The recent arrests at the Occupy FIU event that took place on January 12th brings forth two pressing questions: Why have these students chosen to engage to University through means of direct action and protest rather than going through the proper channels, and how is this movement relevant?

The base of the Occupy FIU project has been the rise in tuition. Currently FIU’s tuition is projected to increase 15% annually, and has been doing so for years.

Florida law dictates that tuition must increase by 7% every year. The extra 8% is then tagged on by FIU and is approved by Patrick O’ Keefe as our SGA president and representative to the board of trustees.

The issue of tuition highlights the disconnection between those involved in SGA, the board of trustees, and the average FIU student.

According to a report released by FIU’s Labor Center From 2002-2009 the University faculty has grown ½ of 1% while administration has grown 96.8%. To break that down into numbers, over the course of 7 years we have gained 5 faculty members and 365 new administrators.

At the upper echelons of the Universities bureaucracy and administration we have an average yearly pay increase ranging from no lower than 15% to nearly 55%.

Most students at FIU work, they work to fund their educations and their livelihoods. A privileged few can be involved on campus, attend SGA meetings, or join a fraternity.

Occupy FIU provides an avenue for the average student to get involved when they have the time between work and school. It is the only avenue available to those with children, full-time jobs, and long-commutes.

Occupy FIU is following the trajectory of student movements throughout history. If the student body were to believe in it’s ability to demand change by use of numbers the formula exists, and the precedent is set for these changes to happen.

Students have been at the center of popular change throughout history: Hungary 56’, Poland 89’, Spain 35’, Italy 44’, etc.

Even within the recent history of FIU United Students Against Sweatshops played an integral part in the unionization of the Universities maintenance staff.

Why has FIU chosen to come down so hard on these students? It is the politicization of the questions being posed.

Simply, the interests of the students, and faculty stand in contrast to those of the Universities administration. Higher tuition, high levels of unemployment, and wage stagnation, undoubtedly add to the time it takes for students to receive their degrees.

Students are caught in an unfortunate cycle of having to push back graduation dates so that they may work more to pay higher tuition that increases 15% every year.

The University wants more money; students are reluctant to give it though they have little choice.

How then, should the University proceed? FIU needs to remain cognizant that although Occupy FIU is small, the movement’s actions are garnering attention from national, online, and local media.

With more police presence at their demonstrations the students seem to be gaining support, winning sympathy, and are becoming increasingly emboldened.

-Kevin Gonzalez, Alum