A Common Enemy
Board of Trustees Meeting - December 2023
The Board of Trustees at the University of Oregon is a governing body established partially through lobbying efforts by Phil Knight, operating as an entirely undemocratically appointed entity. This board holds significant financial power and is crucial in appointing the university president. Notably, their decisions offer insight into their priorities, exemplified by the appointment of an economist with ties to the Bush administration (John Scholz), all transpiring without direct student input. Student frustration caused by the absence of democratic processes in the board's composition and decision-making led to an upcoming organized student action during the board's public meeting this Tuesday.
In an exclusive interview with the Anonymous Student News, a Climate Justice League (CJL) student leader shared insights into the upcoming joint action with Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) at the University of Oregon. Scheduled for March 12th at the Ford Alumni Center, the event starts with a rally at 8:30 am, followed by a meeting with the Board of Trustees at 9:00 am. Public comments from pre-registered students begin shortly after. While half past eight might seem like an early call time for some of you, it's worth it (and they have treats)! Our voices as students are critical in this movement, and everyone who shows up helps make these demands happen.
While we encourage students to show up on Tuesday morning, we also want to inform them about what they are showing up to. The CJL leader highlighted the Board of Trustees, the event's “target,” stating, "The board has the power to disinvest from the genocide" and propel our campus towards more sustainable energy practices. While most potent on campus, our impact as students extends to the state. The student leader emphasized UO's influence, stating, "UO has significant power in the state of Oregon." As one of Eugene's largest Greenhouse emitters, our university is actively contributing to climate change rather than combating it.
Diving into the demand of SJP and CJL, the joint action calls for divestment and boycott of Several companies which the university has financial ties with and are directly connected to the Genocide in Palestine—one of which is Sabra Hummus, which is co-owned by the Strauss Group, an Israeli food company. The SJP resolution calling for BDS from companies like Sabra and others is as follows:
“We demand that UO implement a Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) program on campus in accordance with the ASUO Resolution passed on May 23rd, 2018. This includes, but is not limited to, Sabra, Tribe, Hewlett Packard, Sodastream, Motorola, Caterpillar, G4s, Elbit Systems, and any other company that fits within BDS guidelines.”
When asked about the connection between the board and the hummus lining our dining hall refrigerators, the CJL student explained, "Someone is buying it in bulk for our campus... and... the board has control over purchases the school makes." The board could direct the school to purchase a different hummus unrelated to death and genocide. The discussion expanded to the other demands and UO's financial connections, with the interviewee pointing out, "The board also oversees the UO Foundation," which is managed by Jasper Ridge Partners. Notably, this firm also manages several defense and military corporations, creating a direct connection between UO's financial management and entities involved in the Israeli Military siege against Gaza. These companies include Vanguard, Blackrock, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Boeing, And General Dynamics.
Additionally, a "significant number of faculty retirement plans" provide investment options, with most companies heavily invested in Israel and war. Another demand stipulates the removal of these investment options. The SJP demand is as follows:
“We demand the University divest from TIAA CREF and reinvest in other retirement plan options not tied financially to Israel.”
Students and faculty are also being advocated for more directly in the demands, with the groups calling for stronger protections for students and faculty expressing criticism of Israel. This is especially important as there aren't any UO protections for faculty members who might be inappropriately punished for their private criticisms at work. The first of the SJP demands:
“We demand that the UO provide and promote formal protections for faculty, students, and staff when speaking, writing, or having views that express solidarity with Palestinians.”
This worry manifests at UO, with the CJL member drawing attention to the dean of the College of Design, Adrian Parr, an enthusiastic Zionist. The student claimed it is known among concerned students and faculty that, since October 7th, Parr has visited Israel at least once and even had dinner with IDF soldiers.
In addition to lacking protections for those speaking up about Palestine, UO also has virtually no curriculum on Palestine. Many have suggested incorporating iconic Palestinian authors and pro-Palestinian perspectives like Necropolitics by Achille Mbembe, the works of Edward Said, and Fanon's Writings. However, even with a plethora of teachings to pull from, a Palestinian curriculum remains elusive because those who want to teach it need more resources. The SJP demand is as follows:
“We demand education for our students that exposes the true nature of Israel's occupation of Palestine, as well as its ideology that conflates Palestinian liberation and challenges to Zionism as antisemitic.”
The CJL member also mentioned UO academic exchanges with universities in Israel as another point of demand. The hypocrisy Of UO engaging with and exchanging with Israeli Universities is firmly centered on the reminder that, due to Israel, "there are no universities left in Palestine."
The SJP demand is as follows:
“We demand that the UO cease all academic exchanges and other relationships with Israeli universities which includes, but is not limited to, Tel Aviv University, Hebrew University, Ben-Gurion University, and Technion.”
When asked about the connection between climate justice and freedom in Palestine, the leader responded, "War is always a climate issue," referring to the mass increase in emissions caused by internal and regional conflicts as well as issues of environmental injustice.
"There is a common enemy, a common pressure point: the board of trustees.”
A Common Enemy, pictured above
Regarding UO's climate action plan and the parallel goal of Tuesday's action, the interview highlighted the process of choosing a new heating system conducted by the Board. The student leader criticized the lack of power given to the student/expert task force responsible for identifying emission-reducing options, stating, "The task force was not given adequate power to advise the board on financial recommendations related to the decision,” making it essentially null.
They predict the board will choose option 2B over the suggested option 4. Option 2b offers the lowest reduction of Greenhouse gases, at 46% reduction, out of the five options. Option 4, pushed for by the appointed task force and CJL, features an 80-90% reduction. While at a higher cost, this option is an opportunity for UO to move towards a more sustainable future on campus. The board is rearing to choose the most economically viable option, but "at what cost?" While not targeting specific members on the board for endorsing this position, the interviewee highlighted the potential conflict of interest with Tim Boyle, a board member also associated with Northwest Natural Gas. This connection raises concerns about the impartiality of decisions that may impact the school's natural gas use, potentially benefiting Boyle's business interests and illustrating a notable conflict of interest within the Board of Trustees. We looked into his profile on the official UO Board of Trustees page, and he failed to identify that conflict in his bio despite mentioning several mundane personal interests and qualities.
The interview concluded by emphasizing the significance of targeting the Board of Trustees. The student leader expressed concerns about the undemocratic nature of the board's appointment process and decision-making, calling for a more democratic approach, asserting, "We want to move our energy into democratizing the board of trustees." The interviewee highlighted the need for more student input in this process and compared it to neighboring schools like Lane Community College, which allows students' input on board representation.
Overall, the interview shed light on the CJL's objectives, from divestment and curriculum changes to sustainability and governance reforms. The student leader's quotes underscored the urgency and importance of these issues, calling for transparency, accountability, and inclusive decision-making within the University of Oregon's institutional framework.
