SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Pro-Palestine student protestors at Sacramento State University declared victory Wednesday after the university announced policy changes.
"We have created a policy on socially responsible investment. We believe it’s important that our efforts to fund students’ education do not rely upon us benefiting from companies that profit from ethnic cleansing, genocide, or human rights violations," Sacramento State University said in a news release. "This policy is intentionally meant to cover the many atrocities and challenges that are taking place all over the world."
One of the biggest questions remaining is if the encampment will remain on campus. Students were asked several times at a Wednesday press conference but said, ‘no comment.’
Questions still exist about when and how the divestment will take place, as well as who will define ethnic cleansing, genocide or a human rights violation.
On the eighth day of protests, chants switched from ‘I believe we will win,’ to ‘we won.’
“Thank Luke Wood for not following suit after other administrations and not calling Sacramento police and punishing the students of Sacramento State,” said Jack, the vice president and treasurer of Students for Justice in Palestine.
Students said they were told the university has no direct investment but will be dumping $4.5 million in indirect investments.
ABC10 spoke with Michael Malloy, a law professor at the University of the Pacific, who said this reminds him of calls to divest during the Vietnam War.
He said the investments could be bonds, stocks, equities and other securities – and while they can be ended quickly, the board has a fiduciary responsibility to do what’s best for the institution.
“They could get a much better return for the institution they represent just by waiting. Then, it may theoretically be a breach of their fiduciary duty to just dump this stuff,” said Malloy.
Protestors said Faculty for Justice in Palestine will be given a seat on the university’s finance committee and also checking quarterly and annual report to ensure accountability.
Students opened the gates Wednesday to what they call ‘Gaza Plaza,’ revealing the extensiveness of their encampment. It’s three rows of tents deep with portable sinks.
They said they’re just one of 23 campuses and all need to divest. They have a message for the chancellor:
“Be afraid. We want to emphasize, once again, we will corner the chancellor. If this is possible on one campus, we have raised the bar nationwide, internationally. A message to all students – don’t ask for anything else,” said Michael, with Students for Quality Education at Sacramento State.
The student protestors said all the supplies from the encampment will be taken to UC Davis so students can continue the fight, or they’ll be given to the homeless. Leftover funds will be sent to other CSU movements.
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