MEDIA RELEASE: Divestment Meeting with Admin
MUNSU representatives and members were horrified following a meeting with MUNL administration on Friday, May 24.
After months of receiving little-to-no word from MUNL upper administration concerning the ongoing genocide taking place in Gaza, students took direct action on May 21 by setting up a tent encampment on the lawn in front of MUN’s Arts and Administration Building. The demands sent to admin included disclosing all university investments and divesting from weapons manufacturers and companies with ties to the Israeli occupation.
As a result of this action, students were invited to a May 24 meeting with administration, where the following administrators were present:
Dr. Neil Bose, President pro tempore
Dr. Jennifer Lokash, Provost and Vice-President (Academic) pro tempore
Deborah Collis, Chief Financial Officer
Dennis Peters, Interim Dean of Students
Delores Mullings, Vice-Provost (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism)
Margot Brown, Executive Director, President’s Office
At this meeting, which both MUNSU representatives and student members attended, Dr. Bose completely refused to negotiate with students and dismissed the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people. In the meeting, students pleaded with Bose to acknowledge the overwhelming consensus of humanitarian organizations across the world.
Citing concern for Israeli students, MUNL administration ignored the safety of Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students and made outrageous claims- including refusing to acknowledge the Rwandan genocide and questioning the impact of divestment globally despite its well-documented impact on the fight against South African apartheid.
Despite MUNL’s attempts to portray the meeting as productive and pleasant to the media and the broader university community, this was not the case. Students were horrified by the conduct of administrators and their refusal to accept the reality of the situation in Gaza.
MUNSU stands with Palestinian, Arab, and Muslim students who have been disrespected and abandoned by their university administration. Students are committing to continue their encampment until MUNL administration agrees to negotiate in good faith and come to an agreement, and MUNSU will continue to support them and defend their right to protest.
MUNSU can be reached for comment via external@munsu.ca or via (709) 330-6941.