Student protest is a proud democratic tradition on college campuses. Since the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, students have been organizing protests to express their views and to draw wider attention to issues they care about. While some of these protests have resulted in changes in government policies, other efforts have fallen short. To increase the chances of success, activists should focus on articulating a few desired essential national policy changes that resonate with ordinary citizens. These could be material (redirecting war budgets to education and health), personal (providing better police protection at home or abroad), or moral (feeling good that US investment is free of exploitation, genocide, or apartheid).
Some student protest tactics are more effective than others. Movements that involve a diverse coalition of people appear to be more effective at getting broader support for their cause, as demonstrated by Black students who peacefully occupied a lunch counter in 1960 to demand civil rights.
When organizing a protest, be sure to let teachers and school staff know that you plan to miss class to attend the event and ask them to give you permission to make up assignments later. Also, publiclyize your protest: Put up brightly-colored posters and flyers around town and campus, post on social media, call local newspapers, or write a letter to the editor of the school paper.
Public universities may require that groups of a certain size obtain a permit to use campus spaces, as long as the university does not discriminate on the basis of viewpoint or impose excessive or unreasonable time, place, and manner restrictions.
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