SDS Letter to the U of R 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

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.