San Diego State University’s Associated Students University Council (ASUC) will move toward a final vote on a Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) resolution on April 22. First introduced on March 18, this resolution calls for SDSU and the California State University system to divest from investments in services and technology that the Israeli Defense Forces use.
The resolution demands that the university sever all ties with the MGSDII (Murray Galinson San Diego-Israel Initiative); it calls the MGSDII a, “propaganda arm that compromises academic freedom, student safety, and institutional integrity.” The resolution also calls to halt all A.S. scholarships for studying abroad in Israel, except for students fulfilling recognized religious obligations, and it demands a formal public statement from SDSU President Adela De la Torre, where she will affirm, “institutional support for Palestinian, Arab, SWANA, and Muslim students.”
Ori Lerer, a senior at SDSU, said, “The resolution’s rhetoric is particularly concerning because it creates a permission structure that says that allows students to discredit Israeli and Jewish voices. Additionally, there is a bullet point at the end that claims that this ‘is not antisemitic’ and does not give any reason for why. As the past president of AEPi and SSI, I know these statements easily turn antisemitic.”
On March 18, the first reading took place, and 24 pro-Israel students offered public comment and discussed what they believe is the antisemitic nature of the bill. There were six Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) members there. The senate proceeded with a discussion, and almost none of the antisemitism concerns raised were addressed.
Then, on April 8, during Passover, the second reading take place, with six pro-Israel students in attendance who opposed the resolution, and 12 SJP members who spoke in favor of it.
The student government announced they will be holding a “special meeting” today, April 15, after it was determined they did not have enough time to complete their second read-through at the April 8 meeting. It’s the only agenda item for this meeting, and there will not be a vote taking place. Instead, it will consist of public comment and debate.
As per ASUC rules, the April 22 meeting is the first at which a vote can be passed with a simple majority.
The push for BDS resolutions has been taking place frequently throughout college campuses in the United States. On March 18, Ohio University’s student senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 2526-11, which was co-sponsored by SJP, Young Democratic Socialists of America, and Jewish Voice for Peace. It questioned if the university should publicly disclose its investments and end its indirect and direct investments in Israel Bonds through its university foundation.
The referendum passed on March 31 with 86.29% of votes cast. However, only 1,853 of OU’s approximately 28,000 students participated in it, which means there was a turnout under 7 percent. A similar bill calling on Ohio University to advocate for the repeal of Section 9.76 of the Ohio Revised Code, an existing anti-BDS statute that stops public universities from contracting with companies that boycott Israel, also passed. In a comment to JNS, the university administration rejected the referendum. Incoming student senate president Donald Theisen, a co-sponsor of the original divestment bill, is committed to continuing the push for it.
In the last 30 days, Cornell University, University of Michigan, Colorado State University, UW Madison, and North Carolina State University have also pushed for BDS resolutions.
“As Jewish students, we are directly targeted by this resolution.” – Maya Gerrasi
For Maya Gerrasi, a senior at SDSU, the BDS resolution at her school “will foster an antisemitic climate at SDSU, creating an environment where discrimination against Jewish and pro-Israel students is legitimized and encouraged because it is student body policy,” she said. “As Jewish students, we are directly targeted by this resolution, and we will stand firmly against efforts that marginalize our community, no matter the pressure against us, and expect the university administration to stand with us.”
