Last week, members of the OccupyUW encampment asked to resume dialogue with University senior administrators after rejecting our most recent invitation to dialogue (on June 5, 2024). Throughout our interactions since the encampment began, the University has aimed to engage with members of the protest movement to:
- productively discuss the concerns that they have raised,
- reach an amicable and peaceful conclusion to the encampment, and
- continue productive and respectful dialogue on the substantive issues long after the encampment ends.
Members of the encampment made it clear that their intention is to continue to demand that the University acts to sever ties with Technion and to divest from and boycott all Israeli organizations. Late this afternoon (Saturday, June 15, 2024) members of the encampment asked us to provide an agenda for the next meeting with senior administrators with a deadline of 12 a.m. on Sunday, June 16, 2024. In response we have provided a message outlining what that University is willing to discuss. So that we remain transparent in our dealings, we are outlining our message below.
We have committed to three specific actions on investments and partnerships in response to months-long representations from students, members of the encampment as well as Senate and Board members.
The actions we are taking are reasonable ways to address the issues being raised within the structures of the University. These are also the actions we can take that are within our mandate to advance learning through scholarship, teaching and research within a spirit of free enquiry and expression.
As we previously explained at the Senate and to the campus community, we will not enter a conversation with members of the encampment about severing relationships with individual institutions, including Technion. We have committed to establish a task force that will allow us to create principles to facilitate the assessment of our institutional partnerships in a consistent, transparent, and fair manner.
This work, which will have broad representation from across our University community, is an essential step that will give us the important tools and guidelines we need to assess partnerships. Once the task force completes its work, and when we have implemented any necessary policy changes, we can critically assess all partnerships against our new principles and policies.
The call to boycott, divest and sanction universities from one country is antithetical to our mission and doesn’t support our imperative to create a place where everyone who comes here feels like they belong. Our practices have been consistent, the institution has not supported movements to unilaterally divest or boycott from any country or company outside of national security concerns or without guidance or direction from government.
Early next week we will share information on our investments and we will announce a Task Force on Responsible Investing and Social Responsibility. This builds on work we began a few years ago when we created the University’s Responsible Investment Policy to facilitate the incorporation of ESG factors into investment decisions and to monitor the impacts. At that time, climate change mitigation was identified as a priority area for our investments. This Task Force will enable us to focus on social issues including human rights and diversity, equity and inclusion as outlined in the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment (UNPRI), to which the University of Waterloo is a signatory.
Members of our entire University community will have the opportunity to submit nominations for either task force and to engage with the task forces to inform their outcomes.
This is a significant effort by the institution to create comprehensive frameworks for partnerships and investments. Participation requires respectful dialogue and understanding of the diverse viewpoints at the institution.
The University is undertaking this work on disclosure, investments and partnerships as part of commitments made at previous Senate and Board meetings. This work is not contingent on the end of the encampment, but we acknowledge the role the protestors have played in prompting this activity.
Concerningly, recent interactions, social media posts and posters placed around the campus are not fostering respectful or productive engagement with the University.
The University has protected everyone’s right to free speech and expression throughout this protest activity. This has included more than 15 disruptive protest actions on campus since November 2023, protests and representations at Board and Senate, and numerous expressions of protest at Convocation. The University took no action to interfere with any of these expressions.
But when expression crosses the line into disrespectful behaviour and harassment of individuals (as several recent social media posts and posters have done), this obstructs constructive dialogue. The University remains open to engaging with members of the encampment in productive, respectful dialogue to help them better understand our approach to this work.
The University is also willing to discuss additional actions we can take within our mandate and mission. This includes working to enable scholars and students from Gaza to study here and welcoming expert speakers to address our community.
We have been clear that the encampment cannot go on indefinitely. We urge members to end their presence.