Occupy FIU Members waiting for response

By: Lauren Rovira/Assistant News Director

Occupy FIU members were planted in the GC lawn on Thursday, January 19th, with a sign reading, “Students await response from Rosenberg.”

The group was gathered from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. to await the arrival of President Rosenberg, who had been given a letter two days prior requesting his presence.

The letter asked Rosenberg to publicly condemn the arrest of the group of Occupy members now known as the “FIU 7”.

“We told him we would be waiting for him at the GC lawn,” said political science major, William Sanchez.

Midway through the event, Occupy member Jimmy Jimenez, an alumnus of the University said, “I wish that he at least said why he is not here,” in response to his absence.

Sanchez asserted that Rosenberg “should address students directly, not through emails.”

However, President Rosenberg did not attend the event as he was testifying in Tallahassee for the importance of raising tuition to national levels, and also to warn about raising tuition exponentially for STEM majors.

According to Andrea Nunez, an FIU alumna, Occupy “wanted to speak about how students feel about the free speech zones.”

“FIU should respect our constitutional rights,” she said.

The free speech zones have been restricted to a select few locations on campus; Occupy is seeking to change that.

“We may be starting a new campaign for free speech,” Sanchez explained.

Nunez explained that Occupy was also “simultaneously campaigning against tuition hikes.”

“We should be out at the Board of Governors meeting today, but this derailed us,” Nunez said, “We are addressing FIU suppressing our rights and confining us to areas where we have to follow certain rules, like the 9 p.m. curfew.”

Alex Castro, chief of staff at the Student Government Council at the Modesto Maidique campus showed up to the event to extend acknowledgement to the group.

“From my personal stance,” Castro said, “I want to understand what the message is.”

“SGA is trying to work with Occupy,” he explained, “Patrick [O’keefe, SGA-MMC President] has been working with the leaders of the movement.”

“We would like to work hand in hand,” he concluded, “I think Rosenberg should show. This is grabbing a lot of attention.”

A “mic-check” later, Sanchez explained that the group would likely re-invite President Rosenberg to speak to them in the upcoming week.

Rosenberg may or may not show for the meetings, but the group plans on continuing to organize demonstrations and to work for the public.

“We may arrange another one of these next Thursday,” Sanchez explained, donning the cream colored “FIU 7” shirt the group had made in honor of the members arrested last week.

“We gave our concerns to Rosenberg,” Jimenez said, “We are here talking for the entire student body.”