College, SJP and JVP protestors announce agreement to consider divestment, encampment will come down

May 7, Occidental president Harry J. Elam Jr. announced via email to the college community that the administration reached an agreement with Occidental Students for Justice in Palestine (Oxy SJP), Occidental National Jewish Voices for Peace (Oxy JVP) and other organizations to end their eight-day encampment supporting Palestine on the Academic Quad by May 10.

According to Elam’s email, the Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees will consider Oxy SJP’s divestment demands in a special session. This will be followed by a vote on divestment by the full Board during its next business meeting in June. In exchange, Oxy SJP and Oxy JVP agreed to permanently decamp from the Academic Quad by May 10 and to not disrupt Occidental’s May 19 commencement ceremony. Elam’s email also said that students will receive full amnesty if they abide by this agreement. According to documents obtained from Oxy SJP, the administration promised amnesty for students who peacefully protested up to and including May 10 at 6 pm but will be voided if student demonstrators expand the encampment or increase their activities. 

“During our discussions, all who were involved on Occidental’s campus remained open to a respectful dialogue despite the challenges inherent to engaging in protest,” Elam said via email. “Our focus has been, and continues to be, providing a safe learning, living, and working environment for the entire Occidental community.”

According to Oxy SJP, their demands include divestment from the specific companies identified April 29 by JVP that do business with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), an emergency Board of Trustees meeting to vote on the proposed divestment, full amnesty for all protesting students and faculty and for Occidental’s administration to recognize Israel’s actions in Gaza as a genocide and to call for a ceasefire. Oxy SJP said on their Instagram account that all demands except a call for a ceasefire and recognition of Israel’s war in Gaza as a genocide were met. 

“After eight days of camping, we won,” Oxy SJP said via instagram. “Oxy has disclosed its investments in four companies that aid and abet the [IDF’s] conduct of its genocide in Gaza. Meetings will be held and a vote on divestment of Oxy’s money in the four aforementioned companies [Lockheed Martin, Elbit, Boeing and Caterpillar] will take place no later than June 6, 2024. No students, staff, faculty members, or community will be punished for participation in the Oxy Gaza Solidarity Encampment or related campus protests.”

JVP religious and spiritual co-chair Tobias Lodish* (first year) said he has mixed feelings about the end of the encampment, fearing that Occidental’s administration will delay action on its commitments to Oxy SJP and JVP.

“Most of our demands were met, but we recognize the work we have to do is far from over,” Lodish said. “There is more Oxy can do to stand up for the social justice issues it claims to value.” 

According to the signed contract by the college and student groups, which was shared with The Occidental by Oxy SJP May 7, the Investment Committee will meet with Oxy SJP and Oxy JVP representatives May 13 in a special session. 

Contact Jacob Whitney at jwhitney@oxy.edu

*Tobias Lodish is an illustrator for The Occidental.