
MSU divestment policy


We, the undersigned, students, faculty, alumni and members of the Michigan State University community are concerned by the lack of oversight given to the University\'s portfolio. Under the \"Common Investment Fund Investment Policy\" Michigan State University is required to \"exhibit social conscience in the administration of the University\'s investment portfolio.\" Michigan State University is in material breach of its own policy in that many aspects of its current investment portfolio do not exhibit social conscience. Considering that MSU is invested in the sex industry (Playboy Enterprises), among other irresponsible corporations, we believe that MSU lacks a sufficient oversight mechanism to maintain compliance of its portfolio to its stated policy. Through irresponsible investing practices, MSU has become complicit in and a benefactor of human rights abuses, the degradation of women, the destruction of the environment, the extenuation of world poverty and many other acts that do not \"exhibit social conscience.\" Therefore, we call on Michigan State University to institute the amendment, called for by the Coalition for Social Responsibility, to the \"Common Investment Fund Investment Policy\" which advocates the creation of a system of oversight for the university\'s portfolio in the form an avenue for divestment when a particular investment is brought to issue by petition.
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