Evergreen State College Takes Historic Step, Becomes First US University to Divest from Israel

The Evergreen State College in Olympia has reached an agreement with the Evergreen Gaza Solidarity Encampment, resulting in the college’s decision to work towards divesting from companies profiting from human rights violations or the occupation of Palestinian territories. This move makes Evergreen the first university in the US to fully divest from Israel.

The agreement followed a takeover of the school’s Red Square by the student-led group on April 26. Evergreen spokesperson Kelly Von Holtz expressed pride in how the negotiations unfolded, stating, “At the end everybody was really proud of how the negotiations went.” The encampment has since been disbanded.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed, the Investment Policy Disappearing Task Force will plan the divestment from certain companies. The Grant Acceptance Policy Disappearing Task Force will determine the criteria for accepting or rejecting grants based on their purposes, presenting their findings to the board of trustees in the fall.

The MOU specifies, “Criteria would include such considerations as whether grants facilitate illegal occupations abroad, limit free speech, or support oppression of minorities.” The agreement also calls for a new structure for the Police Services Community Review Board, updates to Police Services Standard Operating Procedures, and a proposal by 2025 for an alternative crisis response model.

The college must issue a statement defending students’ rights and free speech, including a paragraph from the president expressing horror and grief over the violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Evergreen will halt approval of study abroad programs to Israel, and students will be prohibited from studying abroad in Gaza or the West Bank. The college reaffirms its commitment to diversity and the prohibition of discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, including Jews and Palestinians.

Evergreen is notable for being the alma mater of Rachel Corrie, an American activist and member of the International Solidarity Movement. Corrie was killed in 2003 in Rafah while protesting against the Israeli military’s demolition of Palestinian houses during the Second Intifada.