March 13, 2025
Statement: UW Regents vote not to convene ACSRI on divestment proposal
The following is a statement from Blaine Tamaki, Chair of the UW Board of Regents, following the UW Board of Regents vote this week not to convene an Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing (ACSRI) related to investments in companies doing business with or providing materials to Israel:
The suffering of the Palestinian people is heart-wrenching, but this divestment petition was not an effective means of bringing about meaningful change. The proposed actions in the petition are impractical and even if the actions were feasible, they would not meaningfully alter the situation.
We sympathize with the petitioners’ feelings of powerlessness and anger, and also recognize the sincerely held views of those who oppose divestment and see it as part of an effort to delegitimize Israel. The socially responsible investments policy requires there to be broad-based support before moving forward with a committee to consider divestment. The absence of that broad base of support shows how moving forward would further divide our community at a time when it is even more important than ever to come together.
After weighing all of these factors, the UW Board of Regents has voted (8-2, with one abstention) to not form an Advisory Committee on Socially Responsible Investing (ACSRI) related to the divestment proposal that was submitted. We have carefully considered the arguments and acknowledge that there are strong sentiments both for and against our action today. Our duty as Regents requires us to act in the best interests of the University of Washington on behalf of the people of Washington, and we have done so today.
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