Huge crowd expected for U-M Divestment vote, March 31st-

The University of Michigan's Central Student Government will vote on last night's resolution for divestment, in support of Palestinian human rights, on Tuesday, March 31, in the Michigan Union’s Rogel Ballroom, 530 S. State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. 

Hundreds of people are expected to pack the ballroom next Tuesday, in support of this divestment resolution. See today's media coverage:

"SAFE presents revamped divest resolution to CSG"

MICHIGAN DAILY

March 25, 2015

At: http://www.michigandaily.com/news/safe-proposes-bds-resolution-csg

     (9 photos are included, from last night's giant student government meeting)

"After failing to secure the passage of a similar proposal last year, Students Allied for Freedom and Equality proposed a new divestment resolution at Tuesday night’s Central Student Government meeting.

"SAFE is the University’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, an international organization that stands for Palestinian solidarity on college campuses. One of the group’s primary goals is to advocate for the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions movement, which in part asks institutions to divest from companies that allegedly facilitate the violation of Palestinian human rights. Divestment movements are typically group proposals made to a city or university board, requesting suspension of investments in companies that support unethical or immoral actions.

"...The meeting began with nine speakers voicing their position during the community concerns portion of the meeting. Eight of the speakers, including seven University students and an Ann Arbor resident, spoke in favor of divestment...

"...The resolution was sent to be approved by the resolutions committee. The assembly will vote on its ultimate approval at CSG’s meeting next Tuesday evening in the Michigan Union’s Rogel Ballroom."

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Also:

Divestment resolution wins at Loyola University's Student Government, the night of March 24, 2015:

"A two-minute window into Loyola University’s historic divestment win"

March 25, 2015

At: http://smpalestine.com/2015/03/25/a-two-minute-window-into-loyola-universitys-historic-divestment-win/

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And:

"McMaster students vote to support BDS boycott campaign"

CBC

March 24, 2015

At: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/news/mcmaster-students-vote-to-support-bds-boycott-campaign-1.3007101

"McMaster University’s student union voted in support of the global Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement that aims to put economic and political pressure on Israel over issues related to the occupied territories and Palestinian people. Students at the student union’s annual general assembly voted to endorse the BDS campaign where 622 people voted for the resolution and 28 voted against...."

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University of Toledo divestment resolution against Israeli Apartheid -A landslide victory is reported on March 4, 2015

"Toledo student government passes first BDS resolution in Ohio"

CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS
March 4, 2015

At: http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/news/local_news/toledo-student-government-passes-first-bds-resolution-in-ohio/article_c1111ae2-c2a5-11e4-8b32-47ce74756509.html

"The University of Toledo student government passed a divestment resolution during an open forum meeting March 3. This is the first divestment resolution that has been passed by a university student government in Ohio....

"...Undergraduate students at The Ohio State University in Columbus will have the chance to vote on a similar divestment resolution during student government elections March 9 to 11. Moses expressed worry that the vote at UT may set a precedent for other universities.

" 'I think the vote now gives other Ohio colleges and their SJP groups the courage to come out and start their boycott, divestment and sanctions campaigns,' she said. 'I unfortunately think we might start seeing a bigger trend.' "

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"Divestment passes:
"Resolution gains majority vote, campaign continues"

Independent Collegian (At University of Toledo; Ohio)
March 4, 2015

At: http://independentcollegian.com/2015/03/04/news/divestment-passes/

"Shouts of joy and excitement erupted from the supporters of the divestment resolution as it passed in an overwhelming majority vote of 21-4 during the weekly University of Toledo Student Government meeting.

"At the start of the meeting, 94 attendees were present, not including the 27 senators and 7 SJC members in attendance...

"...Derek Ide, SJP steering committee member, said Israel is not being singled out by the resolution.

" 'It is not us [SJP] who singles out Israel. It is Hillel and AIPAC and every other defender of Israeli crimes who wants Israel to maintain a special status, a status that places them above international law and unaccountable to the norms and standards of justice.' ” 

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Earlier US divestment victories:

US Student Victories in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement

At: http://rahimk.tumblr.com/post/58642125362/us-student-victories-in-the-boycott-divestment

2003 - Wayne State University (divestment)

2005 - University of Michigan - Dearborn (divestment) (again in 2010)
2009 - Hampshire College (divestment)*
2010 - UC Berkeley (divestment receives majority vote, but is vetoed)
2011 - DePaul University (Sabra boycott)
2012 - Earlham College (Sabra boycott)
2012 - Evergreen State College (product boycott)
2012 - Arizona State University (divestment)
2012 - National MEChA endorsement of BDS (divestment)
2012 - University of Massachusetts – Boston (divestment)
2013 - UC Irvine (divestment)
2013 - UC San Diego (divestment)
2013 - UC Berkeley (divestment)
2013 - Oberlin college (divestment)
2014 - Loyola University at Chicago (divestment)
2014 - UC Riverside (divestment)
2014 - University of New Mexico Graduate and Professional Student Association (divestment)
2014 - DePaul University (divestment referendum)
2014 - University of California, Santa Cruz (divestment - later striken)
2014 - University of California, Los Angeles (divestment)
2014 - University of California Graduate Union (UAW 2865) (full BDS referendum)
2015 - UC Davis (divestment)
2015 - UC Student Association (divestment)
2015 - Stanford University (divestment)
2015 - Northwestern University (divestment)

(This list is likely missing some victories prior to 2012.)
*Hampshire’s divestment has been implemented. Other successes on this list represent votes calling for university divestment. 

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"Anti-Israel divestment push gains traction at US colleges"

"Anti-Israel divestment push gains traction at US colleges"
Associated Press
Feb. 28, 2015
 
At: http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/article11435600.html
And at: http://www.sfchronicle.com/news/politics/article/Anti-Israel-divestment-push-gains-traction-at-US-6107437.php#/0
And at: http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/294506441.html
And at: http://www.edgeboston.com/news/news/172771/anti-israel_divestment_push_gains_traction_at_us_colleges_


"...Nowhere is the impact more evident than the University of California system. Student governments at five of the 10 UC campuses have voted for divestment. Two more, Santa Cruz and Davis, did the same, but the votes were thrown out over procedural issues. Since December, divestment also won the backing of the labor union representing thousands of teaching assistants and other workers for the entire UC system, UAW2865, and the University of California Students Association, which represents student government bodies statewide..."

Divestment against Apartheid Israel--At the University of Michigan, 2015, andAt Northwestern University:

"SAFE launches campaign to encourage divestment"

Michigan Daily (University of Michigan at Ann Arbor)

Feb. 25, 2015

At: http://www.michigandaily.com/news/bds-sympsoisum

Students Allied for Freedom and Equality — the University chapter of the activist group Students for Justice in Palestine — read a new divestment resolution Tuesday during the Divestment and Sanctions Symposium. Organizers intend to bring [it] before the Central Student Government...

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"Northwestern poses transparency challenges as students move forward with divestment"

Daily Northwestern

Feb. 25, 2015

At: http://dailynorthwestern.com/2015/02/24/campus/northwestern-poses-transparency-challenges-as-students-move-forward-with-divestment/

"After the passage of Northwestern Divest’s resolution at Associated Student Government Senate last week, NU joins a growing number of universities in the United States whose students have pushed for divestment from companies allegedly involved in human rights violations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

"Student governments at six of the nine undergraduate colleges within the University of California system have passed resolutions calling for divestment...."

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Historic vote for divestment against Israel:

"UC Student Association votes to divest from companies allegedly violating Palestinian rights"

DAILY CAL
Feb. 9, 2015

At: http://www.dailycal.org/2015/02/09/university-california-student-association-votes-divest-companies-allegedly-complicit-violations-palestinian-rights/


"The University of California Student Association passed a resolution at its Sunday meeting calling for the UC Board of Regents to divest from corporations allegedly violating Palestinian human rights.

"The resolution called for divestment from a number of companies — including General Electric, Boeing and Hewlett-Packard — that have been accused of enabling or profiting from ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine...."

"...Already, several student governments have passed similar divestment bills. Last month, UC Davis’ student senate passed a resolution urging the UC regents to divest from corporations supporting the Israeli occupation of Palestine. In 2013, the ASUC Senate voted to pass a similar bill, deciding to divest funds from companies associated with Israel’s military.

"UCLA’s undergraduate student government voted to take similar action in November, and in December, members of United Auto Workers Local 2865, a labor union representing student employees in the UC system, voted to pass a measure calling for both the university and union to divest from companies with ties to the Israeli military...."


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 Also:

"In historic vote, UC Student Association endorses call for divestment in support of Palestinian rights"

MONDOWEISS
February 9, 2015
At: http://mondoweiss.net/2015/02/association-divestment-Palestinian

 
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