Evergreen State College in Olympia makes history as first US University to fully divest from Israel
- In Reports
- 04:54 PM, May 04, 2024
- Myind Staff
Evergreen College in Olympia has recently reached an agreement with the Evergreen Gaza Solidarity Encampment, resulting in the college's decision to pursue divestment from companies associated with human rights violations or the occupation of Palestinian territories. This decision marks Evergreen as the first university in the US to fully divest from Israel.
The agreement was reached following a takeover of the school's Red Square by the student-led group on April 26. Evergreen spokesperson Kelly Von Holtz expressed pride in the negotiations, stating, "At the end, everybody was really proud of how the negotiations went." The encampment has since been disbanded.
As per the MOU signed, the Investment Policy Disappearing Task Force will be responsible for planning the divestment from specific companies. Similarly, the Grant Acceptance Policy Disappearing Task Force will be tasked with establishing criteria for accepting or rejecting grants based on their purposes. Both task forces will present their findings to the board of trustees in the fall.
The MOU specifies that criteria would include considerations such as whether grants facilitate illegal occupations abroad, limit free speech, or support oppression of minorities. Additionally, the agreement calls for a new structure for the Police Services Community Review Board, updates to Police Services Standard Operating Procedures, and a proposal for an alternative crisis response model by 2025.
The college is required to issue a statement defending students’ rights and free speech, which includes a paragraph from the president expressing horror and grief over the violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Evergreen will cease approval of study abroad programs to Israel, and students will be barred from studying abroad in Gaza or the West Bank. Additionally, the college reaffirms its commitment to diversity and the prohibition of discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, including Jews and Palestinians.
Notably, Evergreen is the alma mater of Rachel Corrie, an American activist and member of the International Solidarity Movement. Corrie was killed in 2003 in Rafah while protesting against the Israeli military’s demolition of Palestinian houses during the Second Intifada.
Image source: TDG News
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