‘It seems like they don’t care’: Chapman University Investment committee of the board of trustees denies SJP’s divestment proposal

Photo by Emily Paris, Photo Editor

On Sept. 10, Chapman University’s Board of Trustees announced their decision to reject the divestment proposal presented by Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). The proposal called for Chapman University to divest from companies that SJP claims are directly involved in human rights abuses in Gaza and benefit from the military-industrial complex.

The decision sparked frustration among student activists, who spent months advocating for changes in the university’s investment practices. SJP has vowed to continue its efforts, with a protest on Thursday, Sept. 12, at the Attallah Piazza continuing their push for divestment and greater financial transparency. 

They had speakers before and after the walkout, including a Chapman Peace Studies student, a representative from Jewish Voice for Peace OC and a Chapman alum. The speeches focused on the significance of divestment and the current situation in Gaza. The event also featured a collaboration with the Chapman Poets Society, where a testimony from a Jewish anti-Zionist Chapman student, who chose to remain anonymous, was read, along with a poem titled ‘From the Sky’ by Palestinian poet Sara Abou Rashed. 

The walkout itself saw students marching across campus, from the dorms to Keck Science Center and outside of Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. In response, the administration locked the Dodge building, stationing officers inside to prevent anyone from entering or leaving. The chants from the march were met with mixed reactions — some onlookers expressed support, while others gathered in the piazza, holding an Israeli flag. 

A significant police presence was also notable, with officers from Orange County Police Department and campus security (Public Safety) closely following the march. At one point, they even threatened to arrest students walking on the road instead of the sidewalk.

SJP’s divestment proposal focused on removing Chapman’s investments from corporations such as Lockheed Martin and Boeing, which they allege are involved in violence and oppression in Gaza. The group also called for more transparency regarding how the university invests its funds. 

According to SJP co-president Myth Moos, the group spent months preparing for this moment. "We had the walkouts initially. We had three weeks of walkouts... to try to get SJP's name back out there and to try to grow our club," Moos explained. "And through the encampment, we were able to negotiate a deal where we took the encampment down before graduation in exchange for a meeting with the Board of Investors."

When the meeting took place, SJP presented their proposal, but the outcome was already clear to many in the group. "They didn’t engage with the proposal, ask us any questions or (anything) of the sort," Moos said. "It was just the presentation and then we left."

SJP also demanded greater financial transparency from the university, specifically regarding how and where student tuition fees and endowment funds are invested. They called for Chapman to broaden Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) considerations to indirect investments, and implement a rating system for evaluations of ESG principles.

Chapman’s Investment Committee ultimately rejected the proposal, citing financial responsibilities as the reason. 

“By rejecting the divestment proposal, Chapman University reaffirmed its commitment to making financial decisions grounded in fiduciary responsibility and inclusivity,” stated Students Supporting Israel (SSI). “This decision ensures that the endowment remains focused on supporting the university’s mission, without yielding to divisive political movements that contradict the institution's core values of fairness and equality.”

SSI also met with the Investors Committee of the Board of Trustees, to explain why divestment would target Jewish students. “At Chapman, proponents of divestment were seen as pushing an agenda that threatened to isolate and marginalize Jewish students and businesses.” 

"We have a fiduciary responsibility to preserve and grow the endowment, which directly supports the mission of the university," explained trustee Jim Burra, chair of the committee in a statement he released on Sept. 11.

“Trustee Burra has briefly commented on the reason for the vote, and I fully support his statement,” President Daniele Struppa said when the Panther reached out for comment. 

In an email sent from SJP to its members after the vote, Moos expressed deep disappointment and frustration with the university's decision. "It is a clear statement of the school’s unwillingness to support viable and sustainable financial ethics," the email read. "Our school fails to serve the global citizens it aims to build by knowingly contributing to mass harm." 

The email also criticized the board for its lack of engagement, stating, "We did not ask much of the board in our proposal... We have been lied to and patronized by this University for months now, only for them to not truly consider our proposal for more than a day."

SJP’s leaders were quick to express their disappointment publicly as well. "From my perspective, it seems like they don’t care," said co-president Gina Faris. "We understood that this deal was given with the intent of moving us out of their way, to bypass the demands we have given to them.”

"I feel like they always knew that they were going to say no... they knowingly wasted our time, which we kind of knew,” said Faris, for whom the entire process felt futile. “We believed this was the outcome we would receive but had decided to have some faith in the Chapman board."

“This is our standard procedure for every item brought before the committee,” Struppa told the Panther. “We discuss it, and then we vote.” 

“The five to six day window was simply to avoid promising that we could send out the communication the very next day, but there’s nothing unusual about reaching the decision right away,” Struppa continued. 

Despite the setback, SJP remains committed to their cause. 

"We’re not done," Faris emphasized. "Our presence on campus is just gonna keep growing." 

SJP’s campaign, which began with walkouts and a Gaza solidarity encampment in the spring, is far from over. The group plans to continue pressuring the administration and working within the system to achieve their goals, despite what they perceive as a lack of good faith from the university.

"Unfortunately, divestment and getting things to change on campus means working within the system rather than against the system," said Moos. "We just have to adapt and change how we go about doing so."

Correction: An earlier version of this story inaccurately reported the type of flag used by onlookers. It was an Israeli flag, not a Jewish flag.