New School trustees will hold a vote on divestment from Israel

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Banners that say, “Divest now” in front of the The New School Welcome Center
Banners hanging from the encampment in the "Lama Jamous Center." Photo by Jordan Fong

New School trustees will vote on whether or not to divest from companies supporting Israel, according to a university announcement today. The Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees will make the decision on or before June 14.

The vote comes after months of demonstrations on campus calling on the university to divest its endowment from companies arming and supporting Israel.

The university stated that the vote is based on resolutions from the Gaza Solidarity Encampments, University Senates, and multiple other organizations and departments within the university.

These resolutions demand the university completely divest from companies implicated in the military and police violence in Gaza and the West Bank, as well as all global militarized conflict. This would include divestment from companies and subsidiaries involved in weapons manufacturing, military supplies and equipment, military communication, and public surveillance technology. 

If the board votes in favor of divestment, the school would fully divest within one investment quarter — a 3-month period — and will continue to monitor investments on a quarterly basis, according to the statement. 

The university also stated that no community member currently occupying the Welcome Center and the University Center will be faced with disciplinary, professional, or legal sanctions.

This announcement follows a post from the TNS Students for Justice in Palestine Instagram yesterday, stating that members of the encampment and university administration had “reached a new stage” in previously stalled negotiations. A rally scheduled for 5 p.m. today was also postponed as a result of the negotiations and community developments at the encampment.

The New School joins at least seven other schools that have reached agreements to explore divestment from Israel.

1 comment

  1. This school is the new nazi regime. Adolf hitler came to power with a strong academic and student movement. You conflate the October 7 war with genocide. How come you haven’t conflated other wars with genocide?

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