Micah, The problem, as I'm sure you're well aware, is that my University, like many others, is not what you would call a model political institution. It is private and heavily controlled by the wealthy donors that support it. As a result it is becoming a factory for creating wealthy alumni. A factory with tightly closed books and a ruthless economist for a manager. However, at my University, the business-side supports the University community from the shadows. They see themselves as benevolent employees of a non-profit, working behind the scenes to advance research, encourage learning and accumulate knowledge. They try to nurture an academic context not tinged by messy politics. Much can be done to mobilize the academic community of the University for the purpose of reforming the business structure that supports it. However, student activists must be cognizant and respectful of the community (read:system) in which they operate. Occupying buildings not only betrays the goodwill of alumni donors and the administration, it goes against the very ethic of the University community. Universities are places for careful study, reflection and debate, not revolution. Faculty here earn their tenure by making a significant contribution to human knowledge. They work for decades before publishing their ideas. Occupying a building is interpreted as an act of impatience and disrespect. Universities have always been historically progressive communities. There is no reason students can't work with their administrations to accomplish progressive reform. Disruptive acts that garner scandalous press coverage only make reform that much more controversial and political for the university administration. I say this not because I am a tool or because I oppose action. In my experience as an activist, I have discovered that one must take a more humble and academic approach when seeking change at a University, or you risk rejection not only by the administration, but by students and faculty as well. Do your research, write a serious paper supporting your ideas, then act. Of all places to protest angrily, a University campus is much less-deserving than say the offices of Wal-Mart or Haliburton. I urge student activists across the country to pursue more peaceful tactics and more informed causes. Build student power but use it to seek a middle ground with their administrations and engage in dialogue. Sit-ins and occupations earn you more enemies than friends. Also, if you're school has money- the future of student activism is responsible endowments! Spark change in the heart of capitalism.

The counter-culture has been dead since the seventies. Ever since then all it's done is waste energy on hopeless causes like Palestine, the WTO and all this lifestyle anarchist bullshit. Nothing happens, but you still feel good at the end of the day. "Hey, maybe that brown hipster chick will go down on me if I board myself up in the second floor lab and scream shit about the jews"

Hi there. First, to Hans: the occupation(s) at The New School have managed to shake up the largely complacent, apathetic students at our university and caught the attention of New York City, the larger global academic community, and activists and scholars around the world. Do you call that ineffective? To others, including that NS alum, I would just like to say that there is a good chance, per insider information coming from the administration, that Bob Kerrey is going to be asked to resign over the summer due to his abysmal management performance. Politics must be kept alive. I am not uncritical of activism, including this particular instance of activism. I participated in the occupations and saw many problems with them. But for F**k's sake people, we've got to shake things up and show the system that we are not doormats.