Chapman University’s Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees rejected a proposal to divest from companies that conduct business with Israel.
The Orange, California-based school said in a statement on Sept. 11, “As promised, Chapman University’s Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees agreed to consider proposals from students on the topic of divestment, which it heard at its Sept. 10 meeting. Leading up to the committee meeting, Chapman leadership met and engaged with students several times in the spirit of collaboration and learning.”
The statement continued: “The Investment Committee has declined to divest from its investments. Trustee Jim Burra, who chairs the committee, noted: ‘We have a fiduciary responsibility to preserve and grow the endowment, which directly supports the mission of the university. It is important that we make financial decisions based on risk and return.’”
According to The Panther, Chapman’s student newspaper, the vote was determined by a simple majority.
Chapman’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter had posted on Instagram that their proposal would have had the university “divest from companies involved in the military industrial complex and the apart/heid [sic] state of Israel” and increase investment transparency.
The Panther reported that SJP’s proposal had “gained momentum” after the anti-Israel group organized an encampment in the spring and had been in contact with university officials on the proposal during the summer. The university has also since announced a new policy that encampments are no longer permitted on campus, but those involved in the encampment will be given amnesty, per The Panther.
“In addition to the divestment proposal, SJP has advocated for other changes, including the creation of a Middle Eastern-North African (MENA) advocate position within the university’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) office. Bouchard confirmed that this position is expected to be filled by June 2025,” The Panther reported. “Other demands, such as ending study abroad programs in Occupied Palestine and discontinuing university-sponsored Birthright trips, remain under consideration and continue to generate debate within the university.”
The Chapman SJP chapter posted on Instagram that the vote is a “major disappointment by our institution” and will be holding a rally on Sept. 12 as a result.
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Prior to the vote on the proposal, nearly 2,000 people had signed a petition launched by parents of Chapman Jewish students advocating against the proposal. “Moving Chapman University towards divestment and sanctions against Israel would only serve to exacerbate an already volatile situation, steering us away from a path of resolution and peace, while fostering an atmosphere of division and instability within our university,” the petition stated. “We firmly believe that our university’s resources should be used to promote knowledge, understanding, and cooperation, rather than being manipulated for political objectives.”
