Occupy University

Occupy University is one subcommittee in the Empowerment and Education Committee.

Other subcommittees include...
-Logistics: "Handling spaces&calendars, including doing open scheduling of any workshops/teach-ins anyone wants to submit."
-Open Forum: "The Open Forum is a discussion event at Liberty Square in which a volunteer presenter/lecturer gives out a brief presentation that is relevant to the protest followed by an open discussion."
-Occupy Student Debt: "The Occupy Student Debt Campaign is pursuing initiatives relating to the burden of student debt and the challenge of tuition-free public education."

Occupy University emerged "in New York City in September 2011 as part of the Education and Empowerment working group of the Occupy Wall Street movement (cite)."

It's the Occupy movement's shot at creating a new system for education. It's anti-establishment and pro-collaboration, seeking to break down the lecture-authority complex they see as inherent in American Universities.

It seems like a main beef is with the cost of education associated with university degrees. They can't be in opposition soley to the university teaching/learning style, because that simply can't be chalked up in a single tag. In most of my Honors classes and those in my major, the teaching style did reflect a spirit of discussion and collaboration. Granted, my experience does not mirror those of all Americans.

In keeping with #Occupy's opposition to the general idea of institutions, OccU intends to unseat academic hierarchy.

They're setting up classes for people in the New York area, and asking for locals to contribute ideas for classes, their attendance as students, and their help as teachers.

A huge underlying theme imbedded in these classes will be their topic's connection to power in America: economic, political and environmental. These sources of power include  ‘Wall Street,’ ‘big banks,’ ‘bought elections,’ ‘the finance system,’ ‘free-market fundamentalism,’ ‘neoliberalism,’ ‘free-market capitalism,’ ‘finance capitalism;’ or indeed ‘capitalism’ ("What we want to learn").

In the "How we want to learn" they explain that students and teachers should be treated as intellectual equals -- not to say that all knowledge or skills are matched, but to emphasize a "community of learning" rather than a hierarchy.

It is clear throughout that suggestions and critiques are encouraged for anyone with different ideas.

Looking at their proposed horizontal pedagogy, the classes seem more like a yoga club... or a therapy group. They sit around, having reflected on their posture, and observe an article/object quietly before discussing it, asking questions, and then responding to those questions. It sounds very earthy, as if an intimate group of friends were discussing conspiracy theories or galaxies. Everyone spends an allotted amount of time sharing their ideas.

Obviously the classes have a way to go before the knowledge gained could equate to a degree. Currently the classes are free, though the organization is exploring options for long-term sustainability (FAQ). They are also encouraging individuals to take on the challenge of creating an OccU campus in their own cities.

Weekly meetings of the Empowerment and Education Committee are open and occur on Saturdays at 2:00pm @ 66 5th Ave, 8th Floor Conference Room in New York City (Empowerment&Education ).


The group has organized a curriculum as well:
Property
Economy
Labor
Political
Philosophy
Social Movements
Food
Health
Pedagogy
Art
Design & Media
Environment
Crafts
Occupy Wall Street
Identity Knowledge