Students just began a sit-in at UMWs administrative building to demand that Rector Cuellar and the rest of the BOV appropriately address the concerns of our campus community. We are prepared to continue to engage in non-violent, civil disobedience until our demands are met.
#DivestUMW begins our sit in to support Pres. Hurley after #BOV rejected #divestment committee #whoseside pic.twitter.com/lLLxNIUuXx
— Divest UMW (@DivestUMW) March 26, 2015
TO: HOLLY CUELLAR, BOARD OF VISITORS RECTOR
To the University of Mary Washington Board of Visitors & Administration — Please respond to the overwhelming student demand for fossil fuel divestment immediately. Students are sitting in today to demand that you take decisive steps towards divestment. The global climate crisis is urgent; UMW should create a subcommittee for divestment and commit to creating a plan to divest from the coal industry by the end of the Spring 2016 semester.
Why is this important?
The UMW Board of Visitors has dismissed the demands of thousands of students, faculty, and people worldwide by refusing to establish a subcommittee to investigate the financial realities of a fossil free endowment. Students are taking action to show that this denial is unacceptable. In February, DivestUMW delivered a detail presentation on divestment to the Board and demanded the formation of a subcommittee, which would provide information and transparency to advance divestment research. A month after the presentation, Holly Cuellar, Rector of the Board, denied the students’ demand without deliberation or a vote. Stand with these students to show Rector Cuellar that this dismissal is unacceptable. We’re counting on your help to build a strong collective voice.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN THEIR PETITION IN SUPPORT
MT @insideclimate: Abt 20 U. Mary Washington students stage sit-in over #divestment outside Pres. office http://t.co/5K0y9KXllP #DivestUMW
— Dennis Dimick (@ddimick) March 26, 2015
We have officially passed 12 hours #whoseside #DivestUMW pic.twitter.com/em1kjqd0Z0
— Divest UMW (@DivestUMW) March 27, 2015
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