Wayne State’s Student Senate passed a resolution at a general body meeting Thursday evening encouraging WSU’s Board of Governors to adopt a Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions approach toward companies with ties to Israel.

The resolution passed by majority vote via a secret ballot. The resolution was sponsored by Senator at Large Zaynah Jadallah and Treasurer Ridaa Khan, and co-sponsored by Director of Government Affairs Fatima Yahya.

“This resolution will communicate to the students we are representing, to the institution we are addressing and to the community at large, a wealth of meaning beyond just its text,” Khan said. “This is not something a mere statement can convey, but rather a resolution as we are presenting today before you.”

The final resolution states that the “university’s investment consultant, Strategic Investment Group, is capable of aligning our investments with our institutional values.” The list of companies Senate encouraged BOG to divest from includes weapons manufacturers Boeing, General Dynamics, L3Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin and Northop Grumman.

“Wayne State University is invested in companies that profit from wars and human rights violations,” the resolution reads. “Wayne State University Board of Governors placed a tobacco-free mandate for its separately managed accounts. Wherefore the university has a divestment mechanism capable of being applied to other industries.” 

Khan said students had no say in the choice WSU made to invest in war industry companies.

“The choice (to invest) was made for us when our administration engaged in these investments,” Khan said. “There's already been a choice made, and the least we can do is say no to it… The most unfortunate reality is that while I know many of us are on the same page when it comes to the tragedy of war, it is fear, apathy and circular logic which comes between us agreeing to pass this resolution.”

Khan said public universities are intertwined with their local government systems, which are intertwined with state and national systems.

“Ending a genocide is not our job,” Khan said. “As we've seen, as evidenced by hundreds of organizations and governments, it seems to be nobody's real job. Our job is being the primary representative institution of the student body that exercises its authority in the name of students and for the students.”

Student governments at universities around the country, including those at University of Michigan, Ohio State University and New York University, have called on university leaders to divest from Israel in recent years, while Senate has passed several resolutions and statements of their own concerning Palestine, which have been met with mixed reactions from University administration. 

The closing piece of the resolution outlined a plan for divestment from defined companies on behalf of BOG. 

“We ask the Board of Governors to develop socially responsible criteria for our university's investments to ensure that we are not complicit in war profiteering and investing in companies that knowingly contribute to or benefit from human rights violations in Palestine and around the world,” the resolution read. “We ask the Board for a report this semester on its progress/findings in divesting the University from its investments, including divestment from companies doing business in war and human rights violations.”

On Friday, the Dean of Students Office sent out an email in response to Senate’s resolution signed by Dean of Students David J. Strauss, Ph.D. 

“At Wayne State, we encourage students to avail themselves of the right to free speech and assembly, to support causes they believe in or stand against injustice. In this case, the majority of Student Senate members have exercised their right to express their views,” the email read. 

The email went on to detail the University’s stance on the resolution. 

“However, while we appreciate our students’ activism, and support their right to express this view, it is important to note that this resolution does not represent the viewpoint of the university, nor does it represent all students at Wayne State, some of whom will find the language hurtful,” the email read. 

DOSO’s email concluded by asking the campus community to treat those with all ranges of beliefs with respect. 

“​​At Wayne State, we are a pluralistic community of students, faculty and staff who hold different beliefs and come from different backgrounds and experiences,” the email read. “We encourage all members of our community to be respectful of the wide diversity of people and views that make up our campus.”   

Jadallah said the only time she hears issues are too political is when it comes to Palestine.

“You may think to yourself, ‘I'm a student, why should I even have an opinion on University spendings or this is too political for me?’ We as Student Senate have talked about all sorts of political things. And the only time I hear that this is too political is when it comes to Palestine.”

Yahya said she felt it was important for Senators to take a stance. 

“When your children learn about this in the history books, and they ask you ‘What did you do?’ Will you admit to them that you were so privileged to have served as a Student Senate representative at your University where you were given a voice and a means to stand behind justice, but chose to remain quiet?” Yahya said.

Jadallah said she felt it was Senate’s duty as student representatives to serve as a voice for the campus community.  

“Do we want our classrooms to be funded by blood money?” Jadallah said. “You have a voice, you have a duty as a senator to stand up for your fellow students. This is not just a war happening afar. This pain is in our homes, on our minds and affecting our students... We as financial contributors do have a say, this is our University, we study here. Why do we have to destroy another human's life in order to be here?”

Madeline Beck is The South End's Editor-in-Chief. She can be reached at madelinebeck@wayne.edu.

Natalie Davies is The South End's Managing Editor. She can be reached at hg9482@wayne.edu.

Cover photo by Natalie Davies.