Anti-Israel protesters will remove their encampment from the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s campus after protesters and administration officials from the university reached an agreement.
Under the agreement, protesters from the student organization, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), will “clear the encampment” today and have also promised not to “disrupt” the university’s “graduation ceremonies or other campus functions” occurring this weekend, according to a statement issued by the university.
In exchange, administration from the university will help to “facilitate” and provide “access for SJP to meet with decision makers to discuss disclosure and investment principles,” the statement said.
“With the agreement, SJP will clear the encampment today and has committed that it will not disrupt this weekend’s graduation ceremonies 0r other campus functions, nor reestablish an encampment on our campus,” the statement from the university said. “In addition, SJP has committed to following UW-Madison rules in its future activities. We appreciate reaching resolution with SJP and acknowledge the support they received from their faculty liaisons.”
The agreement between the university and the protesters said:
- Campus administration has repeatedly emphasized, and SJP representatives have acknowledged, campus administration’s limited authority over how our endowment is invested and whether investment decisions made by others are disclosed. In this context, campus administration can and will only commit to faciliating access for SJP to relevant decision-makers so that you may present your concerns and requests.
- Related to disclosure and/or principles of investment, campus administration will by July 1, 2024 facilitate access to relevant decision-makers at the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association and the Universities of Wisconsin. If SJP so wishes, Chancellor Mnookin will attend a meeting with those decision-makers solely to emphasize the importance of listening to your concerns and requests.
- Campus administration recognizes that SJP may chose to engage in the shared governance process regarding principles of investment. The administrative leadership of UW-Madison, including Chancellor Mnookin, respects and does not interfere with shared governance processes and commits that she will not do so here.
Administration officials from the university also agreed to commit to “enhancing its engagement” and supporting scholars and students who had been “impacted by war, violence, occupation and displacement” in Gaza, Ukraine, and other places, according to the agreement.
The agreement comes as the encampment has been in place for almost two weeks. Days after the encampment was established, law enforcement officials were seen clearing the encampment. Despite this, two hours later, a new encampment was established on the lawn.
Several other universities across the nation have capitulated to pro-Palestinian protesters.
The University of California in Riverside reached an agreement with protesters to consider divesting from businesses and investments in Israel and has agreed to stop study abroad programs in Israel, as well as other countries. UC Riverside also agreed to work on a boycott of Sabra brand hummus; Sabra is an American company with an Israeli name. (As Breitbart News has noted, the UC Riverside likely violates California’s existing anti-boycott laws.)
Northwestern University in Illinois has capitulated to pro-Palestinian protesters, agreeing to offer scholarships to Palestinian students and build and provide special housing to Muslim students.
Pro-Palestinian encampments and protests were established on university and college campuses throughout the nation in support of an initial one that was started at Columbia University on April 17.
Protesters involved in the various encampments and protests issued lists consisting of various demands, including calling for universities to divest from Israeli companies, ending academic ties with Israeli educational institutions, ending student academic trips to Israel, calling for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas, and calling for the United States to stop arming Israel.