Timeline
The following summarizes the major events related to the protestor demands and the demonstration: November 2023 The university’s Finance and Treasury Office confirmed and communicated to students that four companies in question are not in the USF portfolio. The Finance and Treasury Office shared the university’s Socially Responsible Considerations of the USF Investment Policy and the Fossil Fuel Divestment Policy.
May 20, 2024
Most students have left the USF encampment and the majority of the approximately 50 tents on Welch Field have been abandoned. On the morning of Monday, May 20, USF staff began packing unoccupied tents and abandoned property with the intention of storing all items for pickup or donation. USF staff then consulted with the remaining students who arrived at the field, and they stated that they intended to remove the encampment and vacate the field today. They agreed to pick up their remaining belongings by tomorrow morning.
On Tuesday, May 21, USF will begin the process of repairing the damage to the field and cleaning up the area.
USF is grateful to all who have participated in charting a peaceful path forward and prioritizing safety and respect for all members of the community.
May 13, 2024
Fr. Fitzgerald, Provost Fung, and other administrators meet with leaders of Welch Field encampment to discuss demands and peaceful resolution.
May 11, 2024
Dean of Students notifies student demonstrators that their unauthorized scheduled event during finals week and invitation to non-affiliated individuals to campus is in violation of USF policies and standards. Rally proceeds.
May 10, 2024
USF administration invites student demonstrators to meet at 8 am Monday to discuss demands.
May, 9, 2024
San Francisco Foghorn publishes “USF Student Activists Establish “A People’s University.”
May 6–8, 2024
As outlined above, response and engagement with students has proceeded, with uneven success. It has been difficult to know who is representing the protesting group(s). On May 6 and 7, disturbances were reported and documented. On May 8, the president and several members of the leadership team visited the Welch Field encampment to address demands and listen to students.
May 3, 2024
As an overall response to the ASUSF resolution was being developed, five demands were delivered by “The People’s University of Palestine” with a deadline of May 8:
- Condemn Israeli Occupation’s genocide of Palestinians
- USF must immediately disclose all Israeli occupation-affiliated endowments and investments
- Ensure divestments after disclosure
- USF end all academic partnerships with the Israeli occupation
- USF must protect pro-Palestine speech and students on campus
April 29, 2024
Encampment established on Welch Field. University departments including Public Safety, Facilities, Student Life, and others work with encampment organizers to provide a range of support services to ensure the health and safety of demonstrators. This has ranged from providing port-a-potties and handwashing stations to trash removal services and shelter during a storm.
April 23, 2024
Students began posting and circulating a flier asking community members to email Finance Office staff, advocating for disclosure and divestment of assets associated with Israel. To date, about 95 messages have been received. The university replied to those messages today while noting the legally binding nondisclosure agreements associated with some investment funds. The Finance Office is currently looking at what more we may be able to share about our investments in other funds. We are at work on this now, and will have more information to share with the community before the fall 2024 deadline in ASUSF’s resolution. In addition, our ethical investment policies that are evident in our public holdings also guide our actions and decisions in the privately held investments; therefore, the policies for public and private holdings are the same.
February 2024
ASUSF passed a resolution asking USF to review, disclose, and divest from Israeli companies, including a provided list of companies with Israeli ties, by fall of 2024. The Finance and Treasury Office reviewed the list, identified one firm (Booking Holdings) in which USF may have indirect holdings, and communicated that to ASUSF. Research is still being conducted and will be complete by ASUSF’s requested deadline of fall 2024.