Students for Justice in Palestine reach agreement with administration, but the organization is far from done

The agreement comes two weeks after students set up an encampment outside Wilkinson Hall. Photo by RENEE ELEFANTE, Editor-in-Chief

Just weeks after students set up an encampment outside of Wilkinson Hall to support Palestine, the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) chapter at Chapman University reached an agreement with university administrators.

In a May 16 email sent to the Chapman community, President Daniele Struppa detailed how the university and organization would move forward.

“The students have agreed to remove their tents and clear the area by 12:00 p.m., tomorrow May 17,” Struppa’s statement read. “We have agreed to allow them to present their proposal for divestment and transparency to the Investment Committee of the Board, and the committee will vote on the students’ proposal.”

In an Instagram post made the same day, SJP announced that along with approving a pathway to divestment from the state of Israel, administrators have provided amnesty for all students involved with the encampment, meaning no disciplinary action will be taken against them.

Myth Moos, a junior philosophy and psychology double major on SJP’s executive board, however, notes that the agreement will not change what the organization is on campus for.

“(The agreement) only adds another focus in our goal for Palestinian liberation,” Moos told The Panther. “It means that we must focus on researching and pushing towards divestment.”

Aside from divestment, one of SJP’s demands was for Chapman to increase protection for their Palestinian, Arab, Muslim and allied Students. As a result, administrators have also agreed to create a position for a Middle East and North Africa (MENA) advocate in the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

This comes after the organization has faced several threats from the community, including a knife being pulled on students establishing a solidarity display, supplies being stolen from their encampment, and what they refer to as university administration “antagonizing” them.

“A MENA advocate is extremely important,” said Moos. “There's no one who can directly advocate for (these) students on campus currently and that needs to change.”

SJP is set to present their divestment plan to the investment committee at a Sept. 10 meeting.