MASU votes to support socially responsible investment

Socially responsible investment recommendations presented to Senate

Members of DivestMTA presented a draft motion on socially responsible investment (SRI) to the university Senate on Tuesday, Feb. 16.

A motion for a statement of support regarding SRI was carried unanimously at the Mount Allison Students’ Union council meeting the previous day, with one abstention from MASU President Dylan Wooley-Berry.

Senators were provided with a copy of a draft motion during the meeting, and the final motion will be brought to the next Senate meeting.

Mt. A President Robert Campbell said as clarification that the motion should be brought forward to the Senate agenda committee, and be presented by a member of Senate. Campbell allowed non-members of Senate to present, but requested that they keep the presentation short.

DivestMTA members Alex Lepianka and Naomi Goldberg presented a series of recommendations outlined in their report, which Lepianka said speaks to the role of universities as ethical investors.

Goldberg presented the recommendation to create a separate committee under the Board of Regents to establish and work with SRI policy and procedure at Mt. A. The new committee would be created by urging the current committee that has recently been struck under the nominating and governance committee. The current subcommittee has one student representative who is also the student representative on the Board of Regents, Willa McCaffreyNoviss. DivestMTA’s draft motion includes a recommendation to “formally include representatives from all university constituencies at all stages of this process.”

Goldberg said Mt. A should become a signatory of the UN principles of SRI. She said all university endowment information should be made publicly available.

Campbell thanked the presenters and said, “That sets the table, I appreciate your presentation.”

Owen Griffiths, professor in the history department, thanked DivestMTA for the work they have done and said he looked forward to discussing it at the next Senate meeting, at which the SRI motion will be voted on.

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