The University students and the call-out are based on the German university students made famous by The Student Prince and the Tales of Hoffman.  The story of how the students saved the Jewish Ghetto of Heidelburg inspired the saving of the Adaran Closure in the book.  (reference, The Student-life of Germany published 1841 by William Howitt, available via Project Gutenburg http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36576 )