University of Missouri Hunger Strike

I wonder about the parents of the young man at the University of Missouri who's on hunger strike. At what point will they step in and institutionalize him? Or are they OK with his holding his life hostage like this? Why demand the President of the college step down, which is highly unlikely, instead of demanding solid policy change? How many others will follow his petulant example? It's tempting to portray this as noble, but I feel it's rather childish.