Demand Occidental College Reject Divestment (Again)

After rejecting a similar proposal in 2024, the Board of Trustees at Occidental College is reviewing a new proposal demanding the College divest from companies that do business with Israel. But this proposal only serves to divide and damage the Oxy community.

Oxy’s Board of Trustees is currently in the middle of a 45-day “comment period” to gather community input. Urge Oxy’s Board of Trustees to reject demands to divest from Israel.

To the Occidental College Board of Trustees,

Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voices for Peace (JVP) have recently submitted a proposal for your consideration for the College to divest from companies that do business with Israel.

But as Oxy’s Board stated in 2024, when it rejected a similar proposal to divest from Israel, “taking a position on a complex geopolitical situation would potentially chill the expression of diverse opinions, undermine the expression of pluralism, and alienate members of our community.”

Two years later, the same remains true.

The anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign remains antithetical to the values of Occidental College. BDS calls for ostracizing the Jewish state and those who support it, rather than engaging in meaningful dialogue and debate. Furthermore, it promotes obvious double standards, singling out Israel for economic punishment while turning a blind eye to the world’s worst violators of human rights.

In 2024, the Board also determined that it is not in the College's best interests to “jeopardize the endowment” by divesting from the specified companies. Oxy’s endowment supports financial aid, academic programs, and operations — costs that continue to rise, especially in the current climate.

Furthermore, in today’s environment, endorsing the antisemitic BDS campaign risks drawing the attention of the federal government and potentially inviting a Civil Rights complaint or investigation.

I urge you to reject the latest divestment proposal from SJP and JVP. Deciding in favor of divestment will only be divisive and damaging to the College, current and future students, and the broader Oxy community.

Signed,
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