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The Hoya

Georgetown Universityā€™s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Georgetown Universityā€™s Newspaper of Record since 1920

The Hoya

Board Resolution Ends Direct Investment in Coal

JACK+BENNETT%2FTHE+HOYA%0AMembers+of+GU+Fossil+Free%2C+after+the+release+of+the+boards+decision.
JACK BENNETT/THE HOYA Members of GU Fossil Free, after the release of the board’s decision.
JACK BENNETT/THE HOYA Members of GU Fossil Free, after the release of the board's decision.
JACK BENNETT/THE HOYA
Members of GU Fossil Free, after the release of the board’s decision.

The university’s board of directors voted today to cease direct investment in coal companies, affirming the recommendation of the board’s working group.

According to the resolution, the working group, which considered the proposals of both GU Fossil Free and the Committee on InvestmentsĀ and Social Responsibility, recommended a three-fold course of action, which the board accepted.

“An insubstantial portion of the universityā€™s endowment is now directly invested in companies whose principal business is the mining of coal for use in energy production,ā€ the resolution reads. ā€œGoing forward, the university will not make or continue any direct investments of endowment funds in any such company.”

The resolution also states that the university willĀ urge its external investment managers ā€” large portfolios, like university endowments, are typicallyĀ invested in hedge funds and private equity firms ā€” to avoid investments in coal companies.

The board will select a committee, under the supervision of its executive committee, to examineĀ the broader question of investments and social responsibility. The resolution also pledged to continue and strengthen the academic study of energy and the environment, as well as reduce its environmental footprint.

The original GU Fossil Free proposal called for total divestment from the top-200 fossil fuel companies. In January, CISR voted against GU Fossil Free’s proposal, calling instead for partial, targeted divestment, focusing on 100 companies with the largest detrimental environmental impact from coal mining operations.

In a statement, GU Fossil Free expressed dismay at the board’s decision.

“We thank the board for helping us begin this process of examining the consequences of our investments, and for the tiny step of divesting from direct coal investments, but they did not make the right decision: Georgetown University has decided to continue immoral investments, actively undermining its Jesuit values and global reputation as a moral leader,” read the statement, signed by members of GU Fossil Free.

Full story to come on thehoya.com.

Reactions

The university’s advertisement of the decision on its Facebook page was met with a mixed reception, with members of GU Fossil Free expressing their dissatisfaction:

Georgetownā€™s board of directors passed a resolution this morning stating that the university will not make or continue…

Posted by Georgetown University on Thursday, 4 June 2015

Ā GU Fossil Free’s statement:

Please pardon the length of the below post. It contains our response to Georgetown’s decision today to divest from only…

Posted by GU Fossil Free on Thursday, 4 June 2015

Environmentalist Bill Mckibben, who spoke at Gaston Hall in March:

English professor Nathan Hensley, who coordinated the faculty petition:

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    Former StudentJun 4, 2015 at 8:00 pm

    Smart move by the university. This is a good time to get out of investments in coal companies, regardless of ethics.

    Reply