“We have three demands: 1)The immediate resignation of Chancellor Katehi; 2) A replacement of campus police with a ‘student run safety team,’ or on-campus police must be unarmed (this demand is still under discussion); 3)A freeze on tuition hikes.”
“We are occupying Dutton Hall in order to blockade administrative and financial functions of the university; and we are doing this until our demands are met,” was a short explanation, given by a student active in the “Occupy Davis” movement, of the recent events that have unfolded with protestors and supporters of the movement.
On Monday there was a call for a general strike across the UC Davis campus. That same evening protestors marched to Dutton Hall and “occupied” the hall. During that time a teach-in, with attendance of over a hundred students, was conducted. Later, the general assembly was held, and the decision to blockade the hall was discussed, voted upon and passed.
When asked the purpose of the general assembly meetings, one student protestor responded, “The general assembly is basically a meeting of students and faculty members where anyone is given a chance to speak, give ideas and voice concerns. It is quite effective and it is because of the general assembly meetings the possibility for future action is always open.”
When asked how faculty and staff of Dutton Hall are responding to this, a student, who had stayed in the hall overnight, replied; “So far our interactions with all staffers and faculty members have been positive. Some professors came in and told us they use this hall to hold lectures and tests, and although we welcomed them to stay, they opted to relocate their classes, but we helped them put up signs and they commended us for being cooperative.”
However, when asked about how he thought the administration and police feel about this, his response was less positive; “Our demands will continue until we see them happen, the reaction of the administration and police is irrelevant!”
Although student protestors seem hopeful, students not involved tended to express angry or confused sentiment pertaining to the “Dutton Blockade”.
Reactions such as, “Seriously, this is negatively affecting me, the student you’re supposed to be fighting for!”and “So wait, Dutton Hall? Why Dutton Hall? Is it all because of that tiny corner of the building labeled ‘Financial Aid,’ which by the way is the only reason I’m still in college!”
A protestor refuted statements, such as those mentioned previously, with: “Although administrative and financial functions are blocked, students can still come in and tutoring is still utilized.”
Expressing concerns for the full-time faculty and staff of Dutton Hall, one student stated; “I think the protestors are being selfish; while they devised this plan, while they set up their tents, hoping to accomplish I’m not even sure what anymore, did the protestors ever stop for a second to think of the repercussions their blockade will have on the staff that works in that building. If they could stop being mad at everyone for just 2 minutes maybe they would realize that the staff and faculty of this campus, of that building are affected by the ‘administrative reagent elites’ just as much as the students are; the staff is overworked and underpaid!”
Staff members themselves were heard shouting phrases such as, “Whatever sympathy I had for the protest movement is now gone!” as they left Dutton Hall visibly frustrated.
This movement to blockade Dutton Hall has been the most debated event, from what I have heard and seen, in the series of events that have compiled the Occupy UC Davis movement. The hot topic of discussion: “Is it counterproductive to the message the protestors are trying to send, when they hinder the student population they are fighting for in such a manner? Are they upsetting ‘their own?’ When choosing a building you have to be strategic, was this building the most strategic move?”
” . . . blockade administrative and financial functions of the university”
If the administration of the University were to embrace the demands of the protestors, how are they expected to affect these revolutionary changes after “blocking” the University’s ability to do so?
Students, by definition, exist to learn. There is going to be some really painful learning experiences coming forth very soon–effective leadership and consensus building for starters. It looks so easy until you have to do it in the face of conflict.
The utopian view that solutions to major issues is achieved by unyielding demands, and “everybody” having a say is about to receive a life-lesson that will exceed any classroom study or literary discussion.
While much of what you say is undoubtedly true, I do think it ignores the history of social change.
” I do think it ignores the history of social change.”
oh, there will be social change allright – the students are going from sympathetic to unsympathetic with the protest.
So the activist trouble makers are now shooting themselves in the foot. Good! These protesters are a fringe element of the student body and if they weren’t trying to create turmoil over this it would just be some other cause. They live for chaos. Most of the students are more level headed and are there for their education, that’s something we should remember.
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Interesting the second photo shows 4-5 tents outside which look new and are identical????
“Interesting the second photo shows 4-5 tents outside which look new and are identical????”
I’ll bet the Davis Big 5 is doing a whale of a business on camping gear.
Lots and lots of tents were donated, some in batches.
“That same evening protestors marched to Dutton Hall and “occupied” the hall. During that time a teach-in, with attendance of over a hundred students, was conducted. Later, the general assembly was held, and the decision to blockade the hall was discussed, voted upon and passed.”
Unanimously passed by over 100 students but not representative of the student population in general. Go to the campus and see what people are doing, most are studying. Listen to what they are talking about and you will hear many disagree with this tactic.
I’m reposting my comment from last night below in the hope that the students can move their protests in a more constructive direction:
This is so sad the students are wasting the best opportunity in generations to make significant reform but instead act like a mob. I was on campus yesterday observing when they decided to go to Dutton. Why? Rhey did it in solidarity with Santa Cruz students who had occupied their own financial aid office. Now they want to hold the building for two weeks. To what end? This is no way to run a revolution.
What is terrible about this is that its thinking small. In the wake of the pepper spray and Katehi perp walk these students occupy the moral high ground. Now they are going to give it back by needlessly disrupting an office that serves students and can only tangentially be tied to the cost of college.
I want to suggest a smarter approach, one that builds on recent events. An action will strengthen their position among many groups of Californians and actually might make a difference. The students should march from Davis to Sacramento. They should invite Sac St. to join them. They should invite students throughout California to join them. Students who cannot come to Sacramento should march on their local legislators offices. Many community colleges, state colleges and UC campuses are in districts where the legislators have signed Grover Norquist’s no tax pledge. The students should demand that these legislators renounce that pledge. In districts where the legislators do support more money for education the demand should be to get rid of the 2/3 rule for raising taxes, the choke hold of the rich against the poor in California.
A major problem for post secondary education in California is that funding from the state has dried up. By taking their cause non-violently to the legislature Occupy UC Davis will show everyone that they understand what really needs to be done to fix things, they will build their cause instead of diminishing it by occupying Dutton Hall.
91 O: [i]oh, there will be social change allright – the students are going from sympathetic to unsympathetic with the protest.[/i]
That might have been true up until the point when Yudof and associates voted to give several administrators raises at last Monday’s meeting. Did you agree with that decision?
wdf1, even though I don’t agree with the student’s tactics I do agree that the administration should not be taking raises at this time when tuition is going up. That was a stupid move by Yudoff, if anything they should be taking cuts.
rusty: Up until Monday, I was thinking that student focus might have been better spent focusing on the political process in Sacramento. Monday’s vote to raise admin. salaries showed just how dysfunctional things are. I don’t think the UC admins. can make a shining case of fiscal stewardship to anyone when they are giving themselves raises. And of course it shows ineptitude in the UC leadership. Leland Yee (Democrat) has all the red meat he needs to scold the UC’s, and the legislative Republicans have their case that UC’s need more fiscal restructuring before getting more money from the state.
Just exactly where is a productive forum for student frustration and protest now? Occupying Dutton is certainly no less productive than engaging the state legislature.
Turning the screw on students must pay well so its not just a let them eat cake attitude. Its more about services rendered on behalf of the one percent.
The point of marching to Sacramento is not about getting the legislature to act its about putting pressure on for change. Its to show a united opposition to what makes California ungovernable, the two thirds rule. Its about expanding your base of support and building upon the moral high ground they current occupy after the exposure of the brutality of the UC police and the ineptness of the Davis administration. Its about finding a way to express [u]all[/u] your grievances without alienating those who would like to be with you but are possibly turned off by foolish tactics.
When the winner of the Nobel “Beast” Prize brings back the draft, THEN the students will have something to really protest about!
“That might have been true up until the point when Yudof and associates voted to give several administrators raises at last Monday’s meeting. Did you agree with that decision?”
no, but that is a separate issue. Doesn’t justify this. nor does it explain it either. how does blocking the way for students to get their financial aid (quite the irony when you consider a protest against fee hikes) help students? and what does that have to do with frustrations over yudof and katehi?
wdf1, don’t change the subject.
91 O: [i]how does blocking the way for students to get their financial aid[/i]
Refer to this info from the Enterprise article (posted today) on the subject:
“UCD spokeswoman Claudia Morain said Dutton Hall is closed to the public, although the student financial aid office remains open to students who require its services.”
[url]http://www.davisenterprise.com/local-news/crime-fire-courts/dutton-hall-protesters-plan-for-two-week-occupation/[/url]
91 O: [i]don’t change the subject[/i]
They are, in fact, very related. When there is an apparently unresponsive UC leadership (see above), and an unresponsive legislature on this issue, what else can you do to attract the attention of the public in such a way so that they will talk about these issues? After all, that is what you and I are doing right here, all because the students chose to occupy Dutton.
It costs a helluva lot more to go to college now than it did in your time.
[quote]Reactions such as, “Seriously, this is negatively affecting me, the student you’re supposed to be fighting for!”and “So wait, Dutton Hall? Why Dutton Hall? Is it all because of that tiny corner of the building labeled ‘Financial Aid,’ which by the way is the only reason I’m still in college!”[/quote]
Nicely said. Taking away other people’s rights is not the way to protest…
I wonder why the decision was made not to simply reoccupy the quad. They certainly had managed to gain attention there and we’re not affecting other students ability to pursue their education undisturbed. Anyone understand the rationale?
There was intent to make a statement, by occupying the building housing financial functions (and Mrak had been locked down), that UC’s handling of finances is a major issue for students. The Quad is still occupied, as well.
“Unarm the police? Heaven forbid they ever have a shooter incident like Virginia Tech or the Univ. of Texas. Then everyone will be screaming why weren’t the police armed.”
Not all college campuses have fulltime police departments for one thing.
Second, a shooter incident is a rare event, you certainly have a police department close by in Davis, a Sheriff’s Department and other mutual aid points.
Third, if there is a shooting event UCD Police are about the last people I want to be first responders anyway.
Someone once told me that the quality of candidates for such jobs is quite look and look at their primary work and you can see why. I’m increasingly against special district and campus police because they lack the expertise of city police departments.
Just some food for thought on that.
Waiting a few extra minutes for the police dept. to show up could possibly cost how many lives?
Shooter incidents are rare events, but they have occurred on campuses so why not be prepared?
It’s not clear that this would cause a delay. Moreover, if the people who are showing up are unqualified to deal with that level of emergency, it’s not clear that speed will be an asset.
Let’s see, cops patrolling on the campus vrs. cops not on the campus.
My bet would be the cops on campus are the first to respond.
The people that are most likely will show up might need better training.
But the point you appear to be missing is when you get the UC POlice, you the Lt. Pikes, and all of the other officers who mishandled situations at Mrak Hall and other places. I just don’t have trust in them. It’s not just a matter of better training, you need better quality of officers, and no officer wants to be at a UC playing drunk escort cop and occasional riot police man. Until you can overcome that problem, I’ll take my chances with the much more professional DPD any day of the week.
Boy, so you paint the whole dept. with a broad brush based on the actions of two officers. There are bad cops (if they’re eventually determined to be) in many police dept’s so should we disarm them all? You might say you would take your chances, but if there ever was a shooter loose on campus I’d bet your tune would change.
No, it’s not just the actions of two officers. You have four incidents dating back five years. You have in one twelve month period, 8 sustained complaints, four of which resulted in termination and one of which resulted in resignation. This is a department that has serious problems.
[quote]No, it’s not just the actions of two officers. You have four incidents dating back five years. You have in one twelve month period, 8 sustained complaints, four of which resulted in termination and one of which resulted in resignation. This is a department that has serious problems.[/quote]
Let’s assume you are correct that the UCD Police Dept has serious problems (and I don’t necessarily concede that). So you throw the baby out with the bath water? Darrel Gates was a huge problem in LA, yet you wouldn’t call for the disbandment of the LAPD would you?
I would argue the university police have a pretty tough job of unique requirements, where they are required to handle young adults with kid gloves, protecting them, while dealing with some of those young adults who are positively obnoxious and a menace to everyone else’s safety. How about the stunt students tried to pull last year, “occupying” I-80? Such situations are potentially explosive, represent a danger to the public, including the non-student public who are traveling on I-80. I frankly applaud the UCD Police Dept for keeping the students from going out on I-80.
“Let’s assume you are correct that the UCD Police Dept has serious problems (and I don’t necessarily concede that). So you throw the baby out with the bath water? Darrel Gates was a huge problem in LA, yet you wouldn’t call for the disbandment of the LAPD would you?”
The problem is that you are now comparing a city police department to a non-city police department and if you had read my above comments, I argued that this was part of the problem. It’s the same reason why you have problems with a department like Twin Rivers School District Police. There are structural problems in that you are not getting the cream of the crop candidates because the work is less than desirable for police.
Now one suggestion short of disbanding that might be floated here is to combine UC Davis police under the city of Davis police department, just as you did with fire and that might solve my structural concerns.