Campus Occupy efforts increase

The Winston-Salem State Occupy student group has been finding alternative ways to support the worldwide movement.

During their last meeting Nov. 16, they watched a Michael Moore documentary on the impact of corporate dominance on Americans.

Approximately nine students were in attendance.  

"The documentary will help to open the eyes of WSSU and HBCU students and help us to understand we don't have to just allow these [injustices] to happen.

We can take action to rectify these situations," said Janae Williams, a senior music business major from Dale City, Va.

The group has been organizing meetings every Wednesday at 5 p.m. in Coltrane 211.

The Occupy movement at WSSU is still growing.

"We are having people attend more and more, but we want to make sure that our base is solid," said Jonathan Whitfield, a junior political science major from Winston-Salem.

The WSSU group looks to local group, Occupy Winston-Salem for guidance, additional knowledge of the movement and upcoming Occupy events.

They [WSSU group] joined the Occupy movement, protesting with fellow students and Occupy Winston-Salem members Oct. 22 in front of Wells Fargo, protesting the dislike for the bank's policies.

Nationally, students have been sprayed with mace, threatened and arrested by police during protests in front of bank branches, Capitol Hill and on university campuses including the University of California.

A confrontation between police and Occupy protestors at UC Davis ended with 10 students arrested and a group of students and professors sitting on the ground, interlocked, getting pepper sprayed on Nov. 18.

A video was recorded of the standoff and posted on YouTube.

"The incident [police pepper spraying] at UC Davis can be viewed as the police force's opportunity to assert their power, essentially letting current and potential Occupiers know that they will not win," Janae Williams said.

While the movement continues to grow, the police and high-rating officials are trying to minimize protests and demonstrations.

This includes the removal of tents, tarpaulins, outdoor furniture, and signs, as well as arresting the  protestors.

"As time goes on, the police are going to respond more and more violently," said Cornelius Williams, a junior psychology major from Henderson.  

"The mettle of the protest movement will be severely tested, especially since the election is coming up," James Bullock said.

Bullock is a freshman physical education major from Cleveland.

The next step for Occupy WSSU students is to make a difference on the high student loans.

"It's ridiculous," Whitfield said.

 "The loans are so high that your job can't cover the debt with the interest added when you graduate."

According to Cappex, a college search engine, 76 percent of WSSU students are receiving student loans with $5,705 being the average amount.