Fighting Privatization

Rheanna Ostrea

Blog 4

ASA 02 A03

October 11, 2015

In “Fighting Privatization, Occupy Activists at CUNY and UC Kick Into High Gear,” Eidelson talks about how students are occupying their campuses to fight against their universities privatizing. Students attending UC’s and CUNY have protested peacefully on campus against privatization especially seen in tuition hikes but have been subjected to police violence which I believe is completely unfair. A student stated that the reason that police violence was used to break apart student protests was because in trying to privatize the university, private businesses expect a peaceful environment. In trying to privatize universities the school trustee boards are not looking out for the public, the students, but focusing on getting private sectors, which is why the public needs to fight for themselves and bring awareness to the situation. I think that fighting against privatization is really important because people can have their say and responsibility for all the public services.

Question: Why do private industries/businesses feel the need to take over public universities and take away the rights of the public especially students?