Dear SJP/J4J,
Thank you for meeting with me again this week, and for your latest message.
I have discussed your latest proposal with Board leaders. On condition of your commitment to dismantle the encampment and not disturb Commencement, they and I are willing to invite all members of the Board of Trustees to a meeting with you from 6:30 to 7:30 on Thursday, May 30, to hear your point of view. Presuming you uphold the aforementioned commitments, they would also be willing to meet with you again next fall, should you still wish to do so at that time.
At the May meeting, the Board members would listen to your presentation and ask you clarifying questions. The format would be similar to opportunities that the Trustees routinely extend to other students as part of their concern for campus life.
Given that Board members have many commitments in their lives, their attendance at the May 30 meeting will have to be at their discretion. The members are very attentive to campus issues and I am sure will make every effort to join us. We can set up a Zoom link for those who wish to participate but are unable to do so in person. All trustee members of the Investment Committee would be invited to attend. Trustees are charged with decisions regarding general policies governing the investment of the funds of the college, so they are the relevant conversation partners for the set of issues you have raised.
The meeting’s goal is to let Board members hear your arguments directly, so that they can take them into account in any future deliberations. While I understand your desire for actionable steps toward divestment, that is not an outcome you should expect from the meeting. As I have explained, the ACSR is charged to advise the Board “on matters relating to non-financial aspects of the investment portfolio.” The Committee’s report is due shortly and they will make it public as soon as it is ready. We are going to respect that schedule and the rest of the established deliberative process. By agreeing to present your case now, you will help the Board understand your views in advance.
With respect to your other requests: first, the ACSR is a formally constituted college committee. The Faculty Steering Committee (FSC) makes decisions about whether and when to bring motions to the faculty for vote regarding any changes to such committees. I can relay your proposal to the FSC for consideration. Please understand that this week’s faculty meeting is the last of the academic year, and they will reconvene next fall.
Finally, in regards to your request that protest materials be left up during Commencement and possibly as a permanent public art exhibit, the college’s poster policy specifically says, “Postings will be removed and discarded campus-wide on the day after the last day of final exams at the end of each semester.” This policy was designed to acknowledge the shared nature of our campus and make sure spaces are available for everyone: no one point of view can “own” a space permanently. However, I can offer that we could house key materials from your encampment, or photographs of them, in the College Archives as part of the historical record of campus activism at Williams.
In closing, I respect the commitment and focus you have brought to your work. We obviously disagree on key points, but the fact that we have so far engaged across those differences is noteworthy. As you know, protest can be an effective way to raise topics to public attention. Once that is achieved, the college community must have its chance to consider the issues raised, and come to their conclusions. Duly constituted governance is designed to support that work, and we are ready to consider your concerns in that process as our next step. In the meantime, I will share this response with the rest of the community, as well, and explain where things stand.
I look forward to your reply at your earliest convenience.
Maud