Arrests and rejected demands fueled tensions between Ohio University students and administrators during a protest regarding the approved tuition hike for next year.
Two of the four students who were arrested for protesting the hike during last Friday’s Board of Trustees meeting — Eden Almasude, a second-year graduate student studying African Studies, and Ellie Hamrick, a senior studying anthropology — preceded Thursday’s “Chop From The Top” protest with a visit to OU President Roderick McDavis during his office hours Thursday morning.
“He was condescending and defensive. He declined our demands,” Almasude said. “The administrators are going to try to ignore our voices. I’m outraged and not surprised as they continue to ignore our voices.”
The demands voiced at the protest Thursday afternoon included freezing the salaries of OU administrators and athletic coaches who make more than $100,000, using the money from the tuition increase to fund scholarships and dropping all charges against the arrested students.
McDavis is not taking the same route as Santa Ono, president of the University of Cincinnati, who has proposed selling his house, declining a raise and implementing a tuition freeze, Almasude said.
McDavis declined to comment on the office hours meeting.
“The president does not comment on personal discussions he has with students,” said Jennifer Kirksey, McDavis’ chief of staff, in a statement.
About 60 people gathered around the Soldiers Monument on College Green on Thursday afternoon — a smaller number than those at last Tuesday’s “Raise Hell, Not Tuition” protest. This was the third demonstration within the past two weeks regarding tuition increases.
Jacob Chaffin, spokesperson for the OU Student Union, began the demonstration by speaking to the crowd.
“We continue the struggle,” Chaffin said during the rally. “We are setting an example for the future.”
Chaffin also said the arrested students are currently working with an attorney to try to get the misdemeanor charges of disturbing a lawful meeting dropped.
Dean of Students Jenny Hall-Jones was present during the protest and said OU will not fine the four students arrested for demonstrating at last Friday’s Board of Trustees meeting.
“I do think we listen,” Hall-Jones said. “I think this is an extremely complicated issue.”
The demonstration included a march down President Street and eventually stopped in front of 29 Park Place, McDavis’ residence. At least four OU police officers guarded the house.
Although McDavis was not present at the rally, he later released a statement in response.
“I support and encourage students to be actively involved in campus life and to advocate for causes that are important to them,” he said in the statement. “In fact, I share some of the concerns that our students, faculty and staff are expressing. However, I believe we need to share in problem-solving dialogue in a manner that fosters listening on all sides. I hope that is the direction we will continue to move in the future.”
After students gave personal testimonies of student debt and wrote chalk messages decrying the tuition increase, Almasude said the students would not stop protesting until communication between the parties is achieved.
“We will not be silenced,” Almasude said. “Our dreams, futures and lives are on the line.”
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