Why College Students Are -- Or Are Not -- Occupying

A "Day of Action" is scheduled for Oct. 27 at UC Davis. A Facebook page for the event has garnered about 353 attendees, some of whom have also claimed support for the , which grew out of Occupy Wall Street.

As local Occupy movements have gained support around the country, so has an movement. But as many have jumped on board, others have chosen to abstain, which we'll highlight at the bottom of this story. The Huffington Post reports:

Occupy Colleges, which started as a Facebook page and Twitter handle less than two weeks ago, has quickly blossomed into a burgeoning movement bolstered by a groundswell of student-led support. As of Thursday morning [Oct. 13], student organizers at 136 college campuses -- from Sarah Lawrence College to Boise State University to San Diego City College -- have pledged to participate in Thursday's show of solidarity.

"Around the country, more and more high school students are foregoing a college education because their families can no longer afford it. So many more are graduating with inconceivable amounts of debt and stepping into the worse job market in decades," reads a statement on Occupy Colleges' website. "They take unpaid internships that go nowhere and soon can't pay college loans. We represent students who share these fears and support Occupy Wall Street."

Just as many in America have criticized Occupy Wall Street for a lack of specific demands, the same has happened among students in response to Occupy Colleges. Check out this Huffington Post slideshow of seven such people. It starts with Laurence Pevsner of Amherst College, who says it's ironic to walk out of classrooms that you are paying money for, in the name of rising tuition. 

My economic decision to walk out would have been pretty bad in itself. I currently pay (rather, my parents assist me in paying) a tuition of about $54,000 a year. If I take eight classes per year (the norm at my college) that means each class is costing me $6,750 per semester. If I have two classes a week from September to December, and then subtract some for holidays, I'll probably have about 30 official classes. That means that each class costs $225! 

We’d like to hear from UC Davis students. Are you aligning with the Occupy Colleges movement? And if so, how are you doing it?

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