Student Body President vetoes divestment resolution
A Student Government (SG) resolution to make USF divest in companies purported to have questionable human rights records was vetoed by the student body president.
At Tuesday’s senate meeting, Student Body President Andy Rodriguez and Student Body Vice President Michael Malanga vetoed the resolution in a memo.
According to the memo, Rodriguez and Malanga “believe the message being sent does not reflect an aggregate student voice.”
Moreover, they said they believe bringing such a “polarized and politically driven” topic into SG “serves only to divide the Student Body and to disparage students with opposing viewpoints,” rather than uniting them.
The resolution came before the SG Senate on Jan. 19 and was approved with a vote of 32-12 and four abstentions. However, the university said in a statement that the USF Foundation board would not be considering the request again.
A nearly verbatim resolution came before the Foundation two years ago, and the university did not decide to divest at that time, either. Then, the resolution was presented by members of the university’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine in the form of a presentation of a petition with over 10,000.
The resolution also garnered attention on Facebook with dozens of students posting videos with the hashtag #DearAndy. In these videos, supportive senators and others would explain why they believe the resolution is important.
According to Rodriguez and Malanga’s memo, “it is not the role of Student Government to interject into international politics nor investment policies.”
More Stories
USF welcomes Dylan Sprouse to talk about early career, future projects: ‘Just try it’
Actor Dylan Sprouse knows he had a lasting effect on an entire generation of fans. “I always got the cooler side of it because there weren’t many people trying to be mean to me,” Sprouse said. “I just think people see me as their cousin, you know?” The Marshall Student Center Ballroom (MSC) was filled […]
Thank you to Oracle readers and supporters
Dear reader: In April, we told you of The Oracle’s challenges as we transition to a fully-digital paper – from budget cuts to a lack of updated technology. We asked for your help and you stepped up. Through your contributions, we raised over $800 just one month after announcing our new fund with the USF […]
Florida’s ‘Stop Woke’ law could endanger USF students’ education, professors say
Elizabeth Aranda has been educating students on Latino history for over two decades. Aranda, a USF sociology professor, said she wouldn’t be able to do her job if Florida’s “Stop Woke” law were put into effect. “Imagine you are an orchestra conductor but you’re missing every third page of the musical score,” Aranda said. “There […]
USF’s decision to replace ‘cultural icon’ Pollo Tropical is disappointing, students say
Upon arriving in Tampa, junior criminology major Ana Hernandez said she felt a certain culture shock. Hernandez, who moved from Venezuela to Miami as a child, found it hard to find familiar food as often as she did in Miami, where the Hispanic community is bigger. USF’s on-campus Pollo Tropical, located just a brief walk […]
New USF residential hall at the Sarasota-Manatee campus to open in August
USF Sarasota-Manatee will open its first residential hall in late August, joining Tampa and St. Pete as a residential campus. With a $43.95 million price tag, the new building will serve as both a student center and residential hall. It will open on Aug. 23, the Friday before fall classes begin. The dorm will allow […]
USF professors discuss 2024 primary: ‘Do not skip this election’
The clock is ticking with less than a month left to register by July 22 for this year’s primary election. With critical races like local school boards and Senate on the line, USF professors are urging students to make their voices heard this election season. Judithanne Scourfield McLauchlan is a political science professor and the […]