A Resolution Calling for the University System of Maryland Endowment to Divest from Companies Engaged in Human Rights Violations
WHEREAS, the Student Government Association (SGA) represents the student body at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP); and,
WHEREAS, the SGA is committed to investigating all campus policies [Addendum A]; and,
WHEREAS, UMCP and the student body benefit directly from investments made by the University System of Maryland (USM) Foundation, an investment group responsible for managing USM financial assets whose values include Integrity and Accountability [Addendum B]; and,
WHEREAS, a number of academic institutions in the United States have signed the United Nations Global Compact, which advocates for “support and respect [for] the protection of internationally proclaimed human rights,” [Addendum C] including at Purdue University, Cornell University, George Mason University, and Case Western Reserve University [Addendum D]; and,
WHEREAS, urgent human rights crises are ongoing in our global community, including, but not limited to those at the United States-Mexico border [Addendum E], the Philippines [Addendum F] [Addendum G], Yemen [Addendum H] [Addendum I], Myanmar [Addendum J], Guatemala [Addendum K], and especially in Palestine [Addendum L]; and,
WHEREAS, having documented serious violations of human rights and war crimes, 16 human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, called upon the United States government and other parties to cease the transfer or sale of arms that would likely be used in the further commission of human rights violations by Israel [Addendum M]; and,
WHEREAS, the consequences of these situations also affect the UMCP community directly, especially students whose families experience occupation, systematic discrimination, death, injury, and other forms of human rights violations; and,
WHEREAS, the USM Foundation, and, by extension, UMCP and its student body, may be invested in companies implicated in these and other human rights violations, (such as Lockheed Martin [Addendum N], Northrop Grumman [Addendum O], BAE Systems [Addendum P], Elbit Systems [Addendum Q], and RTX Corp (Raytheon) [Addendum R]), in violation of their principles of Integrity and Accountability [Addendum B]; and,
WHEREAS, UMCP students have utilized grassroots campaigns to change UMCP policies that maintain investments in companies that demonstrate a lack of accountability, ethicality, and respect for the rights and dignity of others, most notably in the context of South African apartheid [Addendum S]; and,
WHEREAS, in light of recent escalations in human rights abuses in Palestine in particular, hundreds of UMCP undergraduate students have signed a student-created petition [Addendum T] in support of divestment from companies actively engaged in human rights violations in Palestine; and,
WHEREAS, a diverse array of UMCP student organizations have also expressed their support of divestment from companies actively engaged in human rights violations in Palestine [Addendum U]; and,
WHEREAS, three of UMD’s peer institutions in the Big Ten conference (Northwestern University, University of Michigan, and Rutgers University) [Addendum V] have called for divestment from companies actively engaged in human rights violations in Palestine; and,
WHEREAS, the student bodies of the University of Virginia [Addendum W] and the University of Maryland Baltimore County [Addendum X] have both recently passed measures calling for their universities to divest from companies complicit in human rights violations; and
WHEREAS, this resolution aims neither to condemn any country, people, or community nor to determine a political solution and is solely aimed at potential UMCP support for companies that enable human rights violations;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the SGA calls upon the UMCP administration and the USM Foundation to sign on to the United Nations Global Compact and withdraw investments in securities, endowments, mutual funds, and other monetary instruments with holdings in those companies which do not adhere to the principles of the Compact; and,
THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the SGA calls upon the UMCP Administration and the USM Foundation to refrain from making further investments except those in compliance with the United Nations Global Compact; and,
THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, that we, the UMD undergraduate student body, call upon our university to divest its endowment from companies aiding in human rights violations and work towards a means of implementing greater student oversight with regard to UMCP investments.
Action Plan:
Communicate to the UMCP administration and the USM Foundation the desire of the UMCP student body that the university and the foundation sign on to the United Nations Global Compact and withdraw investments in securities, endowments, mutual funds, and other monetary instruments with holdings in those companies which do not adhere to the principles of the Compact.
Engage in further conversations with UMCP administration and USM Foundation to advocate for transparent and ethical investment of university funds with student input and oversight.
Publicize the text of this resolution to the student body.
Addenda: Addendum A - SGA Bylaws: Article V, Section 1, 1), a) Addendum B - USM Foundation 2023 Annual Report Addendum C - Principle 1 of UN Global Compact: Human Rights Addendum D - UN Global Compact Signatories Addendum E - Human Rights at the U.S.-Mexico border Addendum F - Human Rights in the Philippines Addendum G - U.S. sales and the Philippines Addendum H - Human Rights in Yemen Addendum I - U.S. Sales and Yemen Addendum J - Human Rights in Myanmar Addendum K - Human Rights in Guatemala Addendum L - Human Rights in Palestine Addendum M - Human Rights Organizations call to stop arms transfers Addendum N - Lockheed Martin Addendum O - Northrop Grumman Addendum P - BAE Systems Addendum Q - Elbit Systems Addendum R - RTX Corp (Raytheon) Addendum S - UMCP divestment from South Africa (1989) Addendum T - Petition signed by hundreds of UMCP students Addendum U - Student groups expressing support Addendum V - List of Schools that have passed divestment resolutions Addendum W - Divestment resolution passed at UVA Addendum X - Divestment resolution passed at UMBC