Students Sit-In to Demand Divestment - SNN #39

Students and alumni associated with Tufts Climate Action ended a three-day sit-in of Tufts President Anthony Monaco’s office on April 24th, claiming partial victory on their demand to meet with the administration to discuss why Tufts should divest from fossil fuel-related companies.

“We have secured meetings next semester with various members of the Board [of Trustees], including hopefully Peter Golan, who is the Chairman of the Board, and we have never met with him before,” sophomore Shana Gallagher and a member of Tufts Climate Action told Somerville Neighborhood News (SNN). “I think we’re closer to divestment than we ever have been.”

But last year, a working group convened by Monaco recommended against divesting.

In a statement to SNN, university spokesperson Kim Thurler explained one reason: “[D]ivestment would cost the university $75 million dollars, “enough to fund scholarships for approximately 100 undergraduates or annual stipends for an estimated 125 Ph.D. students.”

“We have secured meetings next semester with various members of the board, including hopefully Peter Golan, who is the chairman of the board, and we have never met with him before.” With a positive outlook for the future, Gallagher added, “I think we’re closer to divestment than we ever have been.”

During the sit-in, the administration barred any food deliveries and also threatened to penalize any seniors who were participating.

To learn more about the fossil fuel divestment movement, and to see a list of the hundreds of universities, colleges, municipalities, foundations and others have pledged to divest, go to FossilFree – http://gofossilfree.org/