Sacramento State reviewing investments as part of agreement with pro-Palestinian protesters

Sacramento State’s chapter of Students for Justice Palestine said the university has agreed to meet demands to investigate and divest in Israel-tied investments that the group and others have protested on campus since late last month.

The agreement to change its investment policy language came late Tuesday night between the protesters and California State University, Sacramento, according to both sides.

The move makes Sac State one of the first CSU campuses to agree to alter its policies amid the ongoing war in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians living in Gaza since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing more than 1,200 Israelis in the deadliest attack on Jews since the Holocaust.

A spokesperson for the university confirmed the agreement and said more information was expected Wednesday. Members of the encampment were also scheduled to speak about the pact.

Updates to Sac State’s policies, signed off on by university President Luke Wood, show a variety of changes.

It includes Sac State seeking its five auxiliaries to investigate its direct and indirect investments to ensure practices of only “socially responsible investment strategies which include not having direct investments in corporations and funds that profit from genocide, ethnic cleansing, and activities that violate fundamental human rights.”

The five auxiliaries are the Associated Students, University Enterprises Inc., University Union, University Foundation at Sac State and Capital Public Radio.

Sac State noted in its policy that the University Foundation does not have “any direct investments” with corporations and funds that have ties with the Israeli military.

The policy also added sections denouncing genocide and supporting student’s peaceful activism.

“CSU Sacramento opposes and condemns all acts of genocide, ethnic cleansing, terrorism and other activities that violate fundamental human rights,” the policy said. “Student protests and political action are cornerstones of higher education and democracy, and we unequivocally condemn hate and bias in all forms.

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