On Friday, March 1, the University of California, Riverside (UCR) released a vague, short and uncharacteristically cold statement. The statement, titled “University statement on ASUCR’s divestment resolution,” did not name an author, nor was it attributed to the Chancellor’s office. The statement condemned the passage of a resolution calling for ASUCR’s full divestment from companies complicit in aiding Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza. The statement reads:
“The Associated Students of UCR passed a resolution last night calling for divestment from Israel. This resolution runs counter to UC Riverside’s longstanding position and practices, does not align with the university’s views, and does not affect the investment practices of the university. We strongly oppose this action and believe that it goes against the culture of open dialogue and discourse. The UCR community must be a place where all people feel welcome and safe, and where we engage constructively on complicated issues.”
While this pointed statement claims that the resolution “does not align with the university’s views,” the people who make up the backbone of this university insist otherwise. There is an immense amount of support for this resolution, as evidenced by the massive turnout, support and passion that was prevalent in the Senate meeting.
I attended the Senate meeting on Thursday, Feb. 29, along with hundreds of other UC Riverside students, faculty and staff in support of the resolution SR-W24-005 ASUCR Boycott and Divestment from Israel and Corporations Complicit in the Ongoing Genocide in Gaza. This resolution, accompanied by a bill, enacts an ethical spending clause in ASUCR’s bylaws, preventing any of ASUCR’s annual one million dollar budget from being used on companies deemed complicit in the genocide of Palestinians. Among these companies are McDonald’s, Domino’s Pizza, Coca-Cola, Chevron and others.
ASUCR staff laid out 250 seats for attendees and instructed attendees to sit on one side of the room, and those opposed were instructed to sit on the other. The overwhelming majority filled in a matter of seconds by advocates for the resolution. While those in opposition struggled to fill up a single row, the rest of the room was quickly flooded by hundreds of other students who sat alongside the walls or lingered in the back of the room.
When the Senate opened up the floor for the public forum, the students opposed to the bill rushed to make their statements first. A few spoke then left immediately, showing both their disinterest and proving their incapability to “engag[e] constructively on complicated issues,” like the university claims they value. If these students felt passionately about the resolution and their supposed alliance with what is just, why didn’t any of them care to see the vote through?
UCR constantly boasts its rankings in measures of diversity and claims in its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) mission statement that they are committed to “ensuring greater representation of individuals from all backgrounds in every part of the university and keeping fairness and accessibility in higher education at the heart of our policies.” However, it only applies that concept when it is beneficial to its image, heavily featuring diverse students in their brochures, social media posts and website, only to ignore the opinions of those students and instead favoring a small minority on campus who don’t even have the commitment to back their beliefs for an entire Senate meeting.
Contrastingly, around four hundred students, faculty and staff attended the Senate meeting in support of the resolution. Forty-one student organizations co-authored the resolution, and dozens of their members attended the meeting in support, including the Black Student Union, Global Medical Brigades, Faculty for Justice in Palestine, Underground Scholars, MECHA de UCR and others. Representatives from these student organizations spoke during the public forum, describing to Senators why their community is passionate about divestment and discussing the importance of allyship on campus.
Along with organization representatives, UCR faculty, staff from across campus, graduate students, alumni, union workers and medical students all passionately made their case in front of the Senate and patiently waited for hours until a final decision was determined by the Senators.
The Senators discussed the resolution in a closed meeting and considered the diverse, varied and passionate testimonies of students. After a moment of deliberation, all 15 Senators present at the meeting, who were elected to represent all five colleges and schools on campus, unanimously voted to pass SR-W24-005 and divest ASUCR funds from Israel. Additionally, 14 ASUCR officials motioned to be added to the resolution, joining the other six who had already signed on, indicating ASUCR’s firm stance in support of this action.
With all this considered, does the passing of this bill and resolution “go against open dialogue and discourse,” as UCR’s statement indicated, or is it just not the kind of dialogue this Zionist institution is ready to hear? UCR’s statement that “this resolution runs counter to UC Riverside’s longstanding position” and their adamant refusal to write a statement empathizing with the slaughter of over 30,000 civilians in Gaza yet quickly writing a statement after Oct. 7, the university has made their position abundantly clear. They unapologetically stand firmly with the actions of Israel that have already been deemed by the International Court of Justice as genocidal. While UCR takes an inhumane stance and reiterates its support for the apartheid and genocidal state of Israel, its community aligns itself with the cause of humanity — marking a momentous time in UCR history, whether or not those with wealth and power like it.
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