Many people belive that Occupy for Education at De Anza has been approved, and aided by the administrators of De Anza College, but it’s honestly not very surprising that the college and the students are working together on this. Students have been working with the faculty for years, and it’s in the best interest of both faculty and the students to have their opinions heard. 

Students have the time, the lack of restrictions, and the energy to brave cold nights in tents.

De Anza President, Brian Murphy is no stranger to the concept of students and admin working in union. In 2006, he implemented the Strategic Planning Initiative, an idea built around story-based planning that brings the ideas and needs of the students directly to the attention of a large group of De Anza’s faculty and staff. An e-mail address is provided on the De Anza website for this function, suggesting that students send their proposals to the steering committee. 

Sure, it could look like the administrators have a special interest in the matter at first glance, but you have to remember that students aren’t a bunch of patsies. Students and faculty simply share the same interests. Better regulations for teachers affects the way teachers and students approach the systems of education and the needs of the students being met creates an overall better satisfaction with the school itself. 

If you have students who care enough to brave cold nights in flimsy tents near a running fountain of cold water, you have students who are willing to stick around to change the system rather than leave the school on the path it’s on.

If the administration didn’t support what the students stood for, Murphy wouldn’t bring them coffee and match funds raised to hire security for later hours. 

In the end, the students will keep sitting in their tents and fighting off the cold for their cause, waiting until enough people see their actions and realize that something must be done about the new proposals that will harm both the students and the college itself.