Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Divestment Investing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Students, faculty and employees urge UC regents to divest from weapons manufacturers and press for ethical investing
Summary
More than 45 speakers during the public comment period urged the University of California Board of Regents to divest endowment and retirement funds from weapons manufacturers and companies linked to the Israel‑Gaza conflict, while other commenters called for protections against antisemitism and for campus dialogue.
Dozens of speakers addressed the University of California Board of Regents Jan. 23 during a systemwide public comment period, urging the board to divest the UC endowment and retirement funds from weapons manufacturers and companies they say are complicit in human rights abuses in Israel and Gaza.
Speakers from multiple campuses — students, alumni, student government officers and faculty groups — described moral, legal and humanitarian grounds for divestment and urged immediate action. Several speakers cited international bodies and human rights organizations in arguing the investments contravene international law or the university’s ethical commitments. Several Jewish faculty and alumni groups also asked the regents and campus leaders to address rising antisemitism and to distinguish antisemitic rhetoric from legitimate policy debate.
Why it matters: The endowment and retirement plan are major UC financial vehicles. Calls for divestment are recurring and have frequently put pressure on university governance bodies; measured responses or formal investment policy changes would require further review by investment staff and trustees.
Key quotes and themes - “The UC endowment has invested weapons into weapons companies in the UC system,” said Zena, a UCSF student, addressing the board. “As a Palestinian at UCSF, every morning I'm forced to confront that I'm part of a system killing my own family.” - “We have been watching genocide happening unable to stop it,” said Landon, a UCSF student, describing scenes of civilian harm and urging divestment. - Faculty and staff delegates with CUXA (the union delegates) called on the board to treat non‑represented staff equitably in salary planning while several also urged ethical investing policies. - Kira Stein, assistant clinical professor and leader of UCLA’s Jewish Faculty Resilience Group, asked UC leaders to “call out anti‑Zionist hate” where it glorifies terrorism and to treat antisemitic intimidation as a campus safety matter. - Multiple speakers invoked international findings and reporting: references included the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, Amnesty International and articles in The Lancet.
What the board said: Regents acknowledged the comments but did not respond directly during the public comment period. Chair and staff noted comments will be referred to appropriate staff for follow up.
Ending: The public comment period ran more than an hour and included more than 45 registered speakers systemwide. Speakers requested immediate divestment, improved campus safety and outreach, audit of funds used for neutral programming, and other administrative responses. The board did not vote on investment policy at this meeting.
