When the Board of Regents gathered Tuesday afternoon for its first public meeting of the year, they were greeted by about two dozen pro-Palestinian demonstrators who want Georgia’s universities to divest from and cut ties with Israel.
Amid Tuesday afternoon’s presentations on college affordability and multimillion-dollar renovation projects, the protesters sat quietly in the audience. While their demands were not discussed, at least not publicly, their presence was felt, as some held signs reading, “Students Demand Divestment.” They also passed a one-page paper to each regent before the meeting.
“We are deeply disturbed by our universities’ financial and academic ties to Israel, a state guilty of apartheid and genocide,” it read. “We thereby ask that the Board establish a process to regularly review USG’s financial holding for funds implicated in human rights violations.”
University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue recognized the group during his opening remarks.
“I think you all will recognize we got several other new guests around us today,” Perdue said. “We want to thank our students of our university system for being here in a very respectful kind of way and expressing their First Amendment rights.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
In addition to cutting ties with Israeli companies, a complicated proposition, the group wants the University System of Georgia to create a review board that would evaluate the companies its universities partner with.
College students in Georgia and across the nation protesting the war between Israel and Hamas last year made varying demands, including ending university investments in weapons makers, Israeli corporations or other companies that do business with the country. Others called on colleges to halt study-abroad programs with Israeli universities and cut ties to an international law enforcement partnership initially created ahead of Atlanta’s 1996 Centennial Olympic Games.
Many experts noted cutting the financial ties is complicated and could make it more difficult for some students to pay tuition. Exchange-traded funds, which bundle securities into single funds that trade like stocks, are commonly held and found within the endowments of universities and the retirement accounts of many protesters’ parents. Similar investments are also in the Education Savings Accounts known as 529s that fund tuition and other costs for many students.
Georgia Tech student Renee Alnoubani spoke with Perdue during a meeting break. According to Alnoubani, Perdue said he appreciated how the protesters conducted themselves. And he said that during their scheduled executive session, which is closed to the public, the board would discuss the protesters’ one-pager.
“He said multiple times that he doesn’t think they would have an appetite for micromanaging the investments,” Alnoubani said. But she hopes there’s room to work on establishing a review process of the companies USG schools work with and avoid those that have ties to the war in Gaza.
“A university can easily choose which company they do research contracts with. You don’t have to do a research contract with Lockheed Martin,” Alnoubani said of the defense and aerospace contractor, which has a plant in Marietta.
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
The group included representatives from private and public universities. A Dec. 2 email from a dozen representatives of various Georgia schools asked to speak at the regents meeting. It did not receive a response.
Students from the University of Georgia approached its president, Jere Morehead, during a break in the meeting.
“Could you commit to meeting with students to discuss divestment?” asked UGA undergrad Austin Kral.
“No, I won’t,” Morehead responded, declining to take the one-pager the students offered him. “Not to discuss that topic. No sir.”
The protesters said they hoped their presence would open a dialogue about their demands, and many vowed to continue returning to future board meetings until their demands are met.
About the Author
