Sacramento State University has changed its guidelines for auxiliary support organizations, such as the university’s foundation, to “require socially responsible investing, including not investing directly in companies or funds that profit from genocide, ethnic cleansing, and violating activities.” He announced that he would ensure that “we investigate the strategy.” basic human rights. ”
Changes to Sonoma State University
Additionally, the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat reported Wednesday that in an email from Sonoma State University President Mike Lee to the campus community, the school disclosed its contracts with university vendors and implemented a “divestment strategy.” It was reported that he said he would look into it.
Lee also said Sonoma State will not pursue formal collaboration “under the auspices of or on behalf of Israel’s national academic research institutions.” He said Sonoma State will develop a Palestinian studies curriculum and call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
“We want a world that prioritizes life, humanity, and understanding. We want a world that sees all students, hears their voices, and attends to their concerns. .” — Luke Wood, Sacramento State President
The power of pro-Palestinian protests
The changes at Sacramento State and Sonoma State came after pro-Palestinian protesters set up encampments on university campuses late last month.
“This request reflects similar policies being implemented by many nonprofits, educational institutions, government agencies, health care providers, and other organizations,” Sacramento State University President Luke Wood said on May 9. A statement was posted on the university’s website on Monday. “Our policy states that we do not prioritize investing in companies that profit from death and devastation.”
Wood added: “This policy is not targeted at any particular country or people, but at the world. We want a world that prioritizes life, humanity and understanding. , we want a world that sees all students, hears their voices, and pays attention to their concerns.
“And I want to be clear that there is one thing we have not done, we have not entered into any agreements or agreements with our students to close the camp. We are proud that our students voiced their concerns peacefully and in accordance with our policies, and that the camp was not dispersed. They left not because they saw our policies, but because they saw our hearts.”
See Sacramento State President Luke Wood
Peaceful protest in Sac province
While demonstrations at UCLA and CSU Humboldt Polytechnic Institute turned violent and resulted in arrests, demonstrations at Sacramento State University remained peaceful and ended on Wednesday, May 8.
California State University officials said in a statement on April 30 that the 23-campus structure “does not change existing investment policies related to Israel or the Israeli-Hamas conflict.”
Read Wood’s statement at this link.
