As the students of THE General Body continue their sit in at Crouse-Hinds — now in its second week — some have asked why students would want to sleep on brick floors and endure uncomfortable conditions.

Here’s the short answer: it works. The students have tried holding rallies, writing letters and organizing meetings. Only after putting their bodies on the line and occupying a highly visible space on campus (the location of the Admissions Office no less), is the administration beginning to listen to — and hopefully will act on — their many grievances and needs. Since the sit-in began, THE General Body has achieved one meeting with the chancellor himself, and at least three subsequent meetings with the chancellor’s negotiating liaison, the provost and the senior vice president and dean of student affairs.  While there is still a long way to go, progress is being made, and the administration is hopefully working on concrete actions to address THE General Body’s concerns.

Although this is often framed as the age of social media activism or “clicktivism,” something THE General Body has done incredibly well, there is no substitute for this kind of direct action and bodily occupying that has proven effective for generations — from campus sit-ins to Occupy Wall Street and other actions of civil disobedience. Still, sitting is not in itself enough. THE General Body’s major strength is it represents a united front of multiple struggles on campus. These diverse struggles — against the closing of the Advocacy Center, the cutting of the POSSE program, the investment in fossil fuel among other concerns — are all united under the banner of transparency and diversity— a powerful theme that seems to tie together the larger concern for more diverse student input in basic university decisions. Powerful organizations — whether governments, corporations, or an university — understand very well that unified resistance is more threatening than diffuse movements organizing around single issues.

Over the last two years, I have participated in and helped support the fossil fuel divestment movement on campus, and only in the wake of these broader coalitions and the act of sitting-in Crouse-Hinds, does it appear the administration is finally taking seriously the call for divestment.  THE General Body and the DAT movement represent a teachable moment for those of us who study and teach on the politics of social movements. Unified coalitions and direct action can be an effective means toward achieving change.

Matt Huber
Asst. Professor
Department of Geography