Students ‘occupy’ the campus

In conjunction with nationwide protests, a coalition of students began "occupying" this university Friday.

Despite opposition from several university officials and University Police, the group of 30 students marched around the campus Friday afternoon, held a meeting around the sundial on McKeldin Mall for more than three hours that same evening and had five members camp out overnight on the mall. Occupy UMD — an offshoot of the Occupy Wall Street movements that have sprung up nationwide — is localizing the fight against corporate greed.

"We would like to grow and be a source of information for the campus as well," said freshman letters and sciences major Todd Waters. "As far as long term, we more important than capitalist gain."

The coalition of students met four times over the course of a week to plan its debut on the campus. While Stamp Student Union Director Marsha Guenzler-Stevens said she supported the right for the group to hold protests, she said it was important that members of Occupy UMD follow university-wide rules during these events.

However, she said the group did not receive pre-approval from student union officials to hold the protest on the mall, prompting Guenzler-Stevens to ask the protest to disband.

"Absent of a reservation, an occupation tonight is not possible," she told the group. "We need to work out an agreement on the event, to ensure we can keep students safe and secure and provide them with the resources they need to remain sanitary."

Members of Occupy UMD said they would not stop the rally, as giving into the demands of the administration would be against the group's core principles. One student rode his bicycle around the sundial chanting, "Occupy Wall Street, occupy Maryland, occupy everything and never give it back."

University Police Capt. Bob Mueck was called to assist Guenzler-Stevens at the scene, telling group members that they could be arrested if they refused orders to leave.

"So, basically, either we wait until Monday to meet with the Stamp staff or you drag us out with the police?" senior sociology major Dennis Frostbutter asked Guenzler-Stevens.

After a phone call with University Police officials, Mueck told the group that as long as fewer than 10 students slept on the mall, members could proceed with their scheduled overnight campout. Five members of Occupy UMD ultimately slept under the stairs of Francis Scott Key Hall next to a heating vent, according to senior women's studies major Fatima Ali.

"I think it was empowering because we were actually there together, and it felt like a move in the right direction, and that we were ready to take a stance," Ali said. "I'm just glad that the police were working with us. … I'm glad that we had a warm place to sleep, and now that I know we can have less than 10 sleep over for now, I just felt good about the whole thing."

Occupy UMD members said they plan to continue these overnight campouts and hold informational sessions stating their mission. Additionally, they will meet with Guenzler-Stevens today to get permission for future protests, and junior government and politics major Mo Farshneshani said he already met with university President Wallace Loh to discuss the movement.

Frostbutter said he hopes to see the movement grow in the same capacity as Occupy DC, which started with just a handful of protesters and quickly grew to thousands.

"We've got to start somewhere," he said. "We're going to build it up from here."

romas@umdbk.com