About 20 students gathered in front of the Memorial Union on the Tempe campus Monday to voice their grievances concerning tuition hikes and a perceived dilution of the quality of education at ASU.
After speaking with several students who shared his same views, creative writing junior John McDevitt organized Occupy Hayden Lawn, a small offshoot of the nationwide demonstrations that began in New York City with many protesting against corporate greed.
The Hayden Lawn demonstration took place in front of the MU because of the lawn’s sprinkler schedule.
McDevitt spent the past week promoting the event by passing out fliers and creating a Facebook page.
“We are upset about the way things are run and we want to change something,” McDevitt said.
Tuition increased about 18 percent for in-state freshman this year, surpassing a yearly total of $9,000. Resident, non-freshman undergraduates saw their yearly tuition increase by about $1,240.
McDevitt said he has a scholarship that covers his school payments, but he knows people who’ve been affected by the tuition increases.
“I have seen friends of mine who are good students have to drop out of college because the rising cost, and that’s what upset me and that’s why I am participating in this,” McDevitt said.
In an interview on Oct. 11 with The State Press editorial board, ASU President Michael Crow said University officials are aiming for a tuition increase of no more than 3 percent, and hope to stabilize tuition if possible.
McDevitt said he is not convinced tuition will remain constant, evidenced by the dramatic increases students have seen in recent years.
“I think raising tuition almost 20 percent in one year is outrageous,” McDevitt said. “A lot of students aren’t able to cope with a change like that.”
Anthropology senior Scott Hartman said he feels the school’s administration is not hearing the voices of the students.
“The centralized message is that there is not enough representation for us,” Hartman said.
Hartman said Occupy Phoenix and Occupy Hayden Lawn were the first demonstrations he’s participated in.
McDevitt said he doubts the administration will make changes based on the protest, but is optimistic the movement will transcend ASU.
“I am hoping enough of us will show up and we will get enough attention that this will spread to other campuses across the country,” he said.
The small group of students was sitting in a circle on the MU north stage past 8 p.m. with their signs on the ground around them, but the stage was empty by 10 p.m.
McDevitt posted on the group’s Facebook page that he would continue protesting on Tuesday.
Reach the reporter at lghuffer@asu.edu
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