During the time allotted to community concerns during Tuesday night’s CSG meeting, a group of students from Students Allied for Freedom and Equality urged support from Central Student Government for the pro-Palestinian divestment movement on campus.
This movement is a national campaign that encourages universities to divest from companies that are complicit with the Israeli occupation of Palestine. According to the student group, divestment from these companies would place economic pressure on Israel to stop committing Palestinian human rights abuses.
Last year CSG voted to reject the same resolution, on grounds that it could potentially cause further polarization of the various groups involved on campus. However, it was the closest margin to date. Despite this, the members of SAFE promised their efforts would not cease until steps have been taken by the University administration.
“We’re paying tuition to a university that is invested to companies that supply arms and equipment used in the violence and terror that our families have to live through, to this day,” said LSA sophomore Andrea Sahouri.
Later, the assembly discussed the resolution to support protection of resources for survivors of sexual violence on campus, a resolution which reiterates the protections that exist for students to access resources regarding sexual violence.
According to various members of CSG, this resolution would create more awareness of these resources to students of all backgrounds and identities, as well as reaffirming the language of the SAPAC website. This would be especially relevant to not only show support to survivors of sexual assault, but also to those who are undocumented immigrants.
“Students already don’t feel comfortable reports, and factors absolutely do magnify that when there are different concerns about identity. We want to make sure these groups feel the support from CSG,” stated Olivia Gunther, LSA junior and co-author.