At the January ICPJ Steering Committee meeting, our steering committee urged the University of Michigan to form an advisory committee to examine if any UM investments are in companies involved in human rights violations in Israel/Palestine.

So far, the U-M has stonewalled this request just to look at the investments, but there’s a strong campaign of faculty, students, and alumni urging the University to look into the issue.

We’ll see where this goes.

Whereas, University of Michigan Regental policy, as expressed in their meeting of March 16, 1978, states:

If the Regents shall determine that a particular issue involves serious moral or ethical questions which are of concern to many members of the University community, an advisory committee consisting of members of the University Senate, students, administration and alumni will be appointed to gather information and formulate recommendations for the Regents’ consideration.

Whereas, the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice (founded in Ann Arbor in 1965, with a current membership of over 2500) has serious moral and ethical questions concerning the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians,

Whereas, the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice believes that any University investments in entities contributing to human rights violations by either Israelis or Palestinians is inappropriate,

Resolved, the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice calls for the formation by the University of Michigan of an advisory committee consisting of members of the University Senate, students, administration and alumni to determine if any University investments are questionable and in need of appropriate corrective actions.