Spring Break
Students Urge Darfur Divestment
Andrew Peters
Issue date: 2/20/07 Section: News
"My goal is to maximize investment return," Edwards said. "Maximization is the only statutory criteria."
"Since the Foundation is just one of many investors [under an investment manager], I can't tell the investment manager what to do," he said. "Social criteria are not part of our investment guideline at this time."
However, since the Foundation's main objective is to serve the student body, Edwards suggested the students gather evidence that shows divestment in Sudan is in UConn students' best interest in order to spur change.
"We're working on a petition [to show] that the majority of the student body would like to support divestment," Jelliffe said.
But the students said there are still many ways the Foundation could be more responsible about Darfur.
"We want to make it clear we're looking to access targeted investment-withdraw investments from companies that directly benefit the Sudanese government," said Kaitlyn Newman, a 4th-semester political science and peace studies major. "We're asking you to responsibly pick who you make investments with."
Although Edwards didn't promise any changes, he said he respects the group's conviction.
"[The UConn Foundation] is not necessarily here to drive social mandates," he said, "but I'd like to think we have a concerned citizenry, and what I'm seeing here today is that yes, we do."
The students agreed to compile a detailed PowerPoint show to present to the Foundation's investment committee. The investment committee's next meeting is in March, but Edwards said time constraints may force the presentation back to the following meeting in May.
Luyster, for one, was hardly impressed.
"The longer we're talking," he said, "the more people are dying."
"Since the Foundation is just one of many investors [under an investment manager], I can't tell the investment manager what to do," he said. "Social criteria are not part of our investment guideline at this time."
However, since the Foundation's main objective is to serve the student body, Edwards suggested the students gather evidence that shows divestment in Sudan is in UConn students' best interest in order to spur change.
"We're working on a petition [to show] that the majority of the student body would like to support divestment," Jelliffe said.
But the students said there are still many ways the Foundation could be more responsible about Darfur.
"We want to make it clear we're looking to access targeted investment-withdraw investments from companies that directly benefit the Sudanese government," said Kaitlyn Newman, a 4th-semester political science and peace studies major. "We're asking you to responsibly pick who you make investments with."
Although Edwards didn't promise any changes, he said he respects the group's conviction.
"[The UConn Foundation] is not necessarily here to drive social mandates," he said, "but I'd like to think we have a concerned citizenry, and what I'm seeing here today is that yes, we do."
The students agreed to compile a detailed PowerPoint show to present to the Foundation's investment committee. The investment committee's next meeting is in March, but Edwards said time constraints may force the presentation back to the following meeting in May.
Luyster, for one, was hardly impressed.
"The longer we're talking," he said, "the more people are dying."
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Tim Salem
posted 2/21/07 @ 9:19 AM EST
Perhaps it would be beneficial for Mr. Edwards and the UCONN Foundation to take a look at the brief documentary that ultimately led to State Treasurer Denise Nappier's decision for the State of Connecticut to divest last spring. (Continued…)
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