It is necessary, with bold spirit and good concience, to save civilization. The bare and barren tree can be made green again. Are we not ready?
-Antonio Gramsci
University of Rochester Occupation - Solidarity with Gaza
The Occupation Movement Goes to Wales: Cardiff University is now Occupied!
Solidarity fron UR-SDS! The Cardiff occupation in solidarity with Gaza is the twenty-eighth UK student occupation to have taken place in the last few weeks. This unprecedented wave of student dissent has seen many universities capitulate to occupier’s demands and review their investments in arms companies. See the Cardiff Occupation blog for more updates and more information: http://occupiedcardiff.blogspot.com/
Solidarity fron UR-SDS!
Plymouth University is now Occupied!
5pm today students from the University of Plymouth in SE England occupied a lecture theatre in the centre of campus in solidarity with the Palestinians.
Solidarity from UR-SDS!
There demands are their Six Demands
1. That the University of Plymouth issue a statement condemning the recent and continuing atrocities perpetrated by Israel in the Gaza strip. The University should officially denounce the attacks on civilians, the systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid and the targeting of academic institutions, hospitals, places of worship and international peace keeping facilities.
2. That the University of Plymouth cease to invest directly or indirectly in companies complicit in human rights abuses in the Gaza strip and internationally.
3. That no Israeli goods or goods produced by companies that have directly funded the State of Israel be sold on campus.
4. That the University of Plymouth provide complete financial scholarships for six students from Gaza University which has been bombed by the Israeli military.
5. That any surplus educational resources available to the University of Plymouth are provided to Gaza University and that the shipping of these resources be fully paid for by the University of Plymouth.
6. That there be no legal, financial, or academic measures taken against anyone involved in or supporting the occupation. All those involved will be guaranteed free movement in and out of the occupied space, with open access to electricity and internet.
NYU Goes Under Occupation!
Occupation Blog: http://takebacknyu.com/
NYU is the latest university to join a wave of global student occupations in the name of student empowerment. The Kimmel Center for University life is officially a reclaimed space.
What you can do:
Come support the occupation!
Send a letter to the administration in solidarity
Send an e-mail to your professors, peers, listservs, facebook groups you name it! Tell the world.
Have your parent write a letter or e-mail to the university
Print the following demands and distribute them far and wide:
DEMANDS
We, the students of NYU, declare an occupation of this space. This occupation is the culmination of a two-year campaign by the Take Back NYU! coalition, and of campaigns from years past, in whose footsteps we follow.
In order to create a more accountable, democratic and socially responsible university, we demand the following:
1. Full legal and disciplinary amnesty for all parties involved in the occupation.
2. Full compensation for all employees whose jobs were disrupted during the course of the occupation.
3. Public release of NYU’s annual operating budget, including a full list of university expenditures, salaries for all employees compensated on a semester or annual basis, funds allocated for staff wages, contracts to non-university organizations for university construction and services, financial aid data for each college, and money allocated to each college, department, and administrative unit of the university. Furthermore, this should include a full disclosure of the amount and sources of the university’s funding.
4. Disclosure of NYU’s endowment holdings, investment strategy, projected endowment growth, and persons, corporations and firms involved in the investment of the university’s endowment funds. Additionally, we demand an endowment oversight body of students, faculty and staff who exercise shareholder proxy voting power for the university’s investments.
5. That the NYU Administration agrees to resume negotiations with GSOC/UAW Local 2110 – the union for NYU graduate assistants, teaching assistants, and research assistants. That NYU publically affirm its commitment to respect all its workers, including student employees, by recognizing their right to form unions and to bargain collectively. That NYU publically affirm that it will recognize workers’ unions through majority card verification.
6. That NYU signs a contract guaranteeing fair labor practices for all NYU employees at home and abroad. This contract will extend to subcontracted workers, including bus drivers, food service employees and anyone involved in the construction, operation and maintenance at any of NYU’s non-U.S. sites.
7. The establishment of a student elected Socially Responsible Finance Committee. This Committee will have full power to vote on proxies, draft shareholder resolutions, screen all university investments, establish new programs that encourage social and environmental responsibility and override all financial decisions the committee deems socially irresponsible, including investment decisions. The committee will be composed of two subcommittees: one to assess the operating budget and one to assess the endowment holdings. Each committee will be composed of ten students democratically elected from the graduate and under-graduate student bodies. All committee decisions will be made a strict majority vote, and will be upheld by the university. All members of the Socially Responsible Finance Committee will sit on the board of trustees, and will have equal voting rights. All Socially Responsible Finance Committee and Trustee meetings shall be open to the public, and their minutes made accessible electronically through NYU’s website. Elections will be held the second Tuesday of every March beginning March 10th 2009, and meetings will be held biweekly beginning the week of March 30th 2009.
8. That the first two orders of business of the Socially Responsible Finance committee will be:
a) An in depth investigation of all investments in war and genocide profiteers, as well as companies profiting from the occupation of Palestinian territories.
b) A reassessment of the recently lifted of the ban on Coca Cola products.
9. That annual scholarships be provided for thirteen Palestinian students, starting with the 2009/2010 academic year. These scholarships will include funding for books, housing, meals and travel expenses.
10. That the university donate all excess supplies and materials in an effort to rebuild the University of Gaza.
11. Tuition stabilization for all students, beginning with the class of 2012. All students will pay their initial tuition rate throughout the course of their education at New York University. Tuition rates for each successive year will not exceed the rate of inflation, nor shall they exceed one percent. The university shall meet 100% of government-calculated student financial need.
12. That student groups have priority when reserving space in the buildings owned or leased by New York University, including, and especially, the Kimmel Center.
13. That the general public have access to Bobst Library.
Along with this, students have issued a
SOLIDARITY STATEMENT
We, the students of Take Back NYU! declare our solidarity with the student [sleepovers] in Greece,
Italy, and the United Kingdom, as well as those of the University of
Rochester, the New School for Social Research, and with future
[sleepovers] to come in the name of democracy and student power. We stand
in solidarity with the University of Gaza, and with the people of
Palestine.
Hampshire College Becomes the First College in the United States to Divest from the Israeli Occupation!
See Press Release from the group Students for Justice in Palestine: http://www.hsjp.org/2009/02/12/immediate-release-hampshire-college-becomes-first-college-in-the-united-states-to-divest-from-the-israeli-occupation/
National Conference Call - WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE STUDENT OCCUPATION MOVEMENT IN THE U.S.?
WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE STUDENT OCCUPATION MOVEMENT IN THE U.S.?
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16TH, 9PM EASTERN
NUMBER: 1-517-417-5200
CODE: 664146#
Organized by the Campus Anti-war Network
Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=51075056901
All students and student organizations are welcome to participate!
Since the invasion of Gaza on December 27, 2008, resistance to Israeli aggression and U.S. complicity in Israel's wars crimes have spread.
Almost immediately, thousands took to the streets in Palestine, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, Venezuela and various cities throughout Europe and the United States. Now more than ever Israeli foreign policy has been exposed for what it really is: a campaign of terror and brutality, both required to maintain an unjust occupation of stolen land.
The movement to free Palestine took a massive step forward as students began occupying universities throughout Britain, demanding university divestment from Israel, humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza and the admittance of Palestinian students into their universities. Currently there are 22 occupations taking place in Britain alone.
In inspiration, on February 6th, students occupied the University of Rochester with similar demands. To read more about this please check out: http://www.thesitch.com/.
While this was the first student occupation in the United States in response to the invasion of Gaza, it was not the only occupation in recent months. Last December, close to 100 student occupied the New School in New York City demanding the resignation of Bob Kerry, in addition to demanding more accountability amongst the administration with regard to investment and student voices. To find out more, check out: http://www.newschoolinexile.com/
Join the call to hear a full report of the student occupation of the University of Rochester. We are also working to get call-in reports from the New School occupation organizers and British students with occupations underway.
After reports, we will also have a full discussion of next steps for the student occupation movement in the United States: where is it possible next? What are our demands? What are the lessons from the University of Rochester and the New School?
ALL ARE WELCOME! Please spread the word!
Glasgow University Goes Under Occupation!
Students at the University of Glasgow have just occupied the 10th floor of their Computer Science building in solidarity with the Palestinians. Check out their blog: http://glasgowunioccupation.blogspot.com
Solidarity from UR-SDS!
Media Coverage of the Occupation
- UR-SDS Occupies University of Rochester in Solidarity with People of Gaza - Rochester Indymedia
- Rochester's show of solidarity with Gaza - Socialist Worker
- At a Campus Sit-In Against Israeli Occupation - Counterpunch
- UR-SDS Sit-in for Gaza - Rochester IndyTV
- UR Occupation Ends: Students Negotiate with Administration and Declare Victory - Rochester IndyMedia
- Sit-in at the University of Rochester- Reporter Magazine
- University of Rochester group holds pro-Gaza protest - Democrat and Chronicle
- U of R Students Stage Peaceful Sit-In - R News Channel 9
- Student Takeover at University of Rochester Yields Results - Thompkins County Daily Sworm
- Peaceful Sit-In at the U of R - News Channel 8 (local CBS affiliate)
UR-SDS Declares Victory in less than 9 hours.
We spoke for peace and solidarity with the Palestinians and we were heard. UR-SDS and friends declared a victory to our occupation just before midnight Friday (Feb. 6, 2009) when we signed a joint statement of understanding/plan of action with the Dean of Students where we found common ground on addressing our demands in a substantive manner. This final statement was approved overwhelmingly by a vote of the general assembly of all those present to the occupation.
The rough wording of the signed Joint Statement of Understanding/Action Plan is as follows:
1. University of Rochester will commit to provide any surplus goods or supplies that could assist the devastated University of Gaza.
2. University of Rochester will commit resources and information to assist fundraising for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
3. University of Rochester will commit to reach out to Palestinian students in order to provide them scholarships to the University of Rochester
4. University of Rochester will commit to organize an open forum to discuss why the University invests in weapons manufactures and discuss the process of the University moving toward a more socially responsible, transparent, and democratically controlled investment policy.
The spirit in the air at midnight was jubilation. Because we took a stand for peace and justice in Gaza, and we got the University of Rochester to act decisively to better the lives of the people of Gaza.
Stay turned for more details updates to come!
Editorial: The U.S. Assault on Palestinian Peace and Democracy
UR-SDS's Op-Ed piece on the United States goverment's role in thwarting Palestinian democracy is now published in the February 5th edition of the Campus Times. See Page 7 of the attachment.
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| SDS Op-Ed; The U.S. Assault on Palestinian Peace and Democracy [2-5-09].pdf | 6.84 MB |
Press Release (2/5)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
University of Rochester Students for a Democratic Society (UR-SDS)
University of Rochester
Rochester, NY 14627
U of R Students to Occupy Academic Building for Peace and in Solidarity with Gaza
Rochester, NY - 02/05/09-- Students from the University of Rochester and members of the local Rochester community will be occupying an academic building on campus tomorrow for peace and in solidarity with the people Gaza and in opposition to U.S. support for the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and the recent atrocities in Gaza. The action, organized by U of R Students for a Democratic Society (UR-SDS), will begin on the afternoon of Friday, February 6 and will last until the University of Rochester administration meets the demands put forward.
The demands are:
1. Divestment: We demand the University of Rochester to adopt the "UR-Peaceful Investing Initiative" which institutes a peaceful investment policy to the university's endowment which includes divestment from corporations that manufacturer weapons and profit from war. (For example, the U of R invests in General Dynamics which manufactures weapons to maintain a 41-year occupation of the Palestinian territories and wars which slaughter Palestinian civilians by the 100s)
2. Humanitarian aid: We demand that the University of Rochester commit to a day of fundraising for humanitarian aid in Gaza within the next two weeks, as part of an ongoing commitment to provide financial support for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
3. Academic aid: We demand that the University of Rochester twin with the devastated Gaza University and provide the necessary academic aid (e.g., recycled computers, books, etc. ).
4. Scholarships: We demand that the University of Rochester grant a minimum of five scholarships to Palestinian students every year.
The recent war on Gaza has devastated Gazan society, taken hundreds of innocent lives, and has escalated the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Given the United States' central role in supporting the war in Gaza and a harsh 41-year military occupation of the Palestinian territories, the students' actions are to express solidarity with the Palestinian people and their struggle for life and peace.
The student occupation will feature a number of informational and peaceful consciousness raising events such as public talks, teach-ins, and sit-ins. The action was inspired by a wave of student occupations that occurred in 16 universities in England following the Israeli assault on Gaza.
This event is organized by the University of Rochester Students for a Democratic Society (UR-SDS), a local chapter of the national Students for a Democratic Society. UR-SDS was founded in the Fall 2008 semester and seeks to effect progressive social change on campus through educational events and direct actions.
For Regular Updates on events see: http://prometheus.scp.rochester.edu/ursds/blog
Confact Information
e-mail: uofr.sds@gmail.com
phone: 917-595-9317 or 917-757-1181
UR-SDS in Solidarity with Gaza: Letter to the Administration
Members of the University of Rochester Administration,
The recent war and horrifying atrocities sponsored by the United States in the Palestinian territories has upset us to our core. The war on Gaza has devastated Gaza’s entire society, taken hundreds of innocent lives, destroyed much of the infrastructure including the University facilities, and only escalated their grave humanitarian crisis. Given United States’ central role in supporting militant approaches to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and perpetuating violence, we feel a deep sympathy and solidarity with the oppressed peoples of the Palestinian territories and a special responsibility to support the Palestinians in their struggle for life and peace. Note that we also support peace and justice for all Jewish Israelis. At this moment we are highlighting the plight of the Palestinians because currently Israeli society is intact and the United States already gives extraordinary amounts of support to Israel.
In the upcoming days University of Rochester Students for a Democratic Society (UR-SDS) will be organizing a number of informational and peaceful consciousness raising events such as public talks, teach-ins, and sit-ins. We will do our part to act for peace and educate people on peaceful means of resolving the conflicts between the United States, the Palestinians, and the Israelis. We would also like the administration to do their part. Below is a list of demands UR-SDS is calling on the administration to implement. We would be glad to assist in the implementation in any of these demands. We feel a deep sense of urgency as the bodies of war continue to pile up and the futures of Palestinian children grow more hopeless. We plan to begin a peaceful sit-in on campus on Friday, February 6, 2009 primarily to raise awareness about the Palestinian conflict and crisis, but also to raise awareness about some meaningful and realistic steps the University administration can take to assist the humanitarian situation. We hope to hear back from you soon so we can begin a constructive dialogue on these matters.
Peace,
University of Rochester Students for a Democratic Society
E-mail: uofr.sds@gmail.com
Islamic University of Gaza:
Before and After the Gaza War
UR-SDS Demands of the University of Rochester
Demands: Divestment, Aid, Scholarship
1. Divestment: We demand the University of Rochester to adopt the "UR-Peaceful Investing Initiative" which institutes a peaceful investment policy to the university's endowment which includes divestment from corporations that manufacturer weapons and profit from war. (For example, the U of R invests in General Dynamics which manufactures weapons to maintain a 41-year occupation of the Palestinian territories and wars which slaughter Palestinian civilians by the 100s)
2. Humanitarian aid: We demand that the University of Rochester commit to a day of fundraising for humanitarian aid in Gaza within the next two weeks, as part of an ongoing commitment to provide financial support for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
3. Academic aid: We demand that the University of Rochester twin with the devastated Gaza University and provide the necessary academic aid (e.g., recycled computers, books, etc. ).
4. Scholarships: We demand that the University of Rochester grant a minimum of five scholarships to Palestinian students every year.
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| UR-SDS Letter to the Adminstration [2-4-09].doc | 196 KB |