Violence in Gaza and Israel has resulted in the loss of lives, destruction and suffering that many members of our OSU community have felt personally and profoundly.
As our community continues to navigate this crisis and the impacts it is having near and far, the university has engaged with community members and organizations to outline a series of actions to make a positive impact through engagement and accountability consistent with the university’s public mission and core values. The actions outlined below, designed to foster ongoing dialogue, learning and critical inquiry, are an essential part of how we as a public university respond to events that affect all of us.
Go to the encampment demonstration webpage to review details regarding OSU's previous engagements with the encampment.
We invite all members of the OSU community to work with us in the implementation of these actions:
- OSU has provided information about its investments on its website and will update these disclosures annually. The OSU Foundation provides information about its investments on its website and updates these disclosures annually.
- OSU is establishing a Task Force on Responsible Investing charged with evaluating the alignment of institutional investment policies with institutional values and priorities, while maintaining compliance with relevant laws and regulations. The task force will recommend appropriate revisions, if any, to investment policies to the OSU Board of Trustees for their consideration and potential adoption. The task force, which will launch by fall term 2024 and engage the OSU community widely, will allow for dialogue, consensus-based decision making and open communication while adhering to established shared governance principles. It will complete its work by the end of the 2024-25 academic year. All OSU community members with strong interest in this topic will be considered for membership on this task force.
- OSU is establishing a Task Force on Responsible Procurement charged with evaluating the alignment of institutional procurement with institutional values and priorities, while maintaining compliance with relevant laws and regulations. The task force will recommend appropriate revisions, if any, to procurement policies to the OSU President for consideration and potential adoption. The task force, which will launch by fall term 2024 and engage the OSU community widely, will facilitate dialogue, consensus-based decision making and open communication while adhering to established shared governance principles. It will complete its work by the end of the 2024-25 academic year. All OSU community members with strong interest in this topic will be considered for membership on this task force.
- OSU is developing a new program of scholarly events and activities supported by the Office of the Provost, College of Liberal Arts and PRAx to engage humanists, artists, scientists and other scholars from a variety of backgrounds to advance greater understanding and awareness of history, conflict and diaspora in Palestine, Israel, and the Middle East. All OSU community members with strong interest in these topics will be considered for membership on the steering committee for this program.
- With assistance from OSU Libraries, the university is developing a “library guide” that will contextualize the complex and interwoven incidents of displacement and violence that characterize the history and present of Palestine, Israel and the region. This guide will help OSU community members and the public to engage these topics with a critical lens to understand implications for the OSU community. The intent is to complete this work by the end of fall term 2024, at which time the guide will be made publicly and widely available. OSU invites all interested OSU community members to participate in this process.
- To contribute to the alleviation of civilian suffering in the region, OSU will support a university effort to raise funds for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, which provides medical and humanitarian relief collectively and individually to children throughout the Levant, regardless of their nationality or religion, as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross, which has worked in Gaza, the West Bank and Israel since 1967 in partnership with the Palestine Red Crescent Society and Magen David Adom to provide direct humanitarian aid and advocate for humanitarian protections.
- OSU is dedicating grant aid to eligible students whose academic course of study has been disrupted by violence and conflict. Over the next three years, applications for this grant aid from students whose course of study has been impacted by violence in Gaza and Israel will be given substantial consideration for support.
- As a standing member of the Scholars at Risk Network, OSU can host scholars who have been displaced by violence and conflict. Over the next three years, applications for scholar hosting opportunities from scholars impacted by violence in Gaza and Israel will be given substantial consideration for support.
In addition to these actions, OSU will also continue enforcing university policies prohibiting discriminatory and harassing conduct based on nationality, ethnicity or religion, including prohibited anti-Palestinian and anti-Semitic behavior.
OSU will also continue to vigorously protect the free expression and academic freedom rights of all OSU community members, including resisting any attempt to interfere with the academic freedom of any faculty member. OSU staff will continue to counsel OSU community members who wish to learn more about these policies and how to convey their opinions and viewpoints consistent with their rights, responsibilities and university policies.