University of Sydney management rejected the pro-Palestine student encampment demands that it disclose and divest from weapons companies in the first meeting on May 24 between it, student representatives and the Sydney University Student Representative Council.
At a second meeting on May 28, management made it clear there would be no immediate disclosure or firm commitment to divestment.
Management offered to set up a working group to review the university’s ties with Israel and report to the University Senate at an unspecified date.
The student newspaper Honi Soit reported the “representative working group” would be “contingent on the encampment camp being cleared from the Camperdown campus ‘on an agreed timetable’”.
Vice Chancellor Mark Scott claims he has “no authority” to cut ties with Israel. Management also rejected the students’ proposal to hold a public meeting to discuss the encampments demands.
A passionate meeting at the encampment voted May 28 to reject management’s “offer” and students committed to staying over the winter break.
Around 40 encampment activists protested the university’s finance department and a Lockheed Martin Space Conference on May 30 and Students for Palestine Sydney is organising an action against weapons manufacturer Thales on June 7 at 4pm.
The Sydney University encampment remains in front of the Quad, near the main campus library, with more than 50 tents in front of the iconic sandstone building. Support and solidarity are welcome.
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