Sac State changing policies on investments; encampment demonstrators to speak
SACRAMENTO – Sacramento State is changing some of its policies after protestors demanded transparency and divestment regarding the Israel-Hamas conflict.
According to the university's website, they will not make any investments in corporations that profit from genocide, ethnic cleansing, or that violate human rights.
"CSU Sacramento will not engage in any activity or enter into any agreement that conflicts with these values," part of the policy now reads on the website.
NEW: @sacstate updated policies meeting all demands of demonstrators, website is updated with language and Students for Justice in Palestine have CSU Sacramento shared the update. @CBSSacramento pic.twitter.com/EIGEu8CTFp
— Madisen Keavy (@madisenkeavy) May 8, 2024
Sac State also says they do not currently have any direct investments in those areas and will not in the future.
In a statement released later on Wednesday, Sac State initially noted they were "pleased" to have reached a resolution with the encampment.
NEW UPDATE: @sacstate just revised statement and removed the first line: "We are pleased that we have reached resolution of the issue at the heart of the encampment at Sacramento State. Further, we appreciate that this resolution reflects its peaceful nature." @CBSSacramento https://t.co/KSdSjAoQ89
— Madisen Keavy (@madisenkeavy) May 8, 2024
However, a follow-up statement excluding the remarks that the university was pleased to reach a resolution was released, and it was instead called an agreement.
"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," the statement read.
Here's the update from @sacstate sent out at 3:31PM, not even an hour since the first statement went out at 2:48PM.
— Madisen Keavy (@madisenkeavy) May 8, 2024
Again, first line that leadership is "pleased" to reach this resolution now removed. @CBSSacramento pic.twitter.com/Jmy6l3is56
Students for Justice in Palestine, who set up the "Popular University for Gaza" encampment at Sac State, says they met with President Luke Wood about the update in policies and would speak Wednesday at noon on campus.
"The students encourage the larger community to understand that the fight for divestment does not stop at Sacramento State but continues on to other universities in the CSU system and across the nation," the group wrote in a statement.
The group has been on campus protesting since last Monday and has been given a deadline to clear out by midnight.
Protest encampments have been popping up at universities across the nation in recent weeks. Some colleges, like USC and UCLA, have had to cancel classes and graduation ceremonies.
A new encampment also emerged at UC Davis this week, despite the college's student government voting to divest from Israel earlier in the year.