Pro-Palestinian activists at the University of Michigan successfully elected a student government slate that threatens to defund student groups unless the university divests from Israel and military manufacturers. As the fall semester begins, concerns arise about potential cutbacks in student activities, while university administrators consider emergency funding but refuse to meet the divestment demands.
Pro-Palestinian protesters called for divestment from Israel at the U. of Michigan’s spring commencement ceremony in May.
Pro-Palestinian activists at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor were frustrated by their inability to persuade the university to divest endowment funds from Israel and military-weapons manufacturers, so they came up with an idea: run a slate of candidates for student government based on a provocative platform. If elected, they’d refuse to fund student groups unless the university complied with their demands. They won — and now they’re carrying through on their threats.
As the fall semester began on Monday, some students worried their groups will have to cut back on their activities unless the university intervenes. Michigan administrators are considering providing temporary emergency funding, while making it clear they have no intention of meeting protesters’ divestment demands.