In the wake of a contentious resolution advocating for divestment from Israel, two members of the Harvard Law School (HLS) Student Government have thrown in the towel. The resolution, which emerged victorious with a 12-4 vote amidst 3 abstentions, has spurred the departure of Regina De Nigris and Cameron Adkins. The resolution itself calls for Harvard Management Company (HMC) to "divest completely from weapons manufacturers, firms, academic programs, corporations, and all other institutions that aid the ongoing illegal occupation of Palestine and the genocide of Palestinians," as reported by The Crimson.
Having resigned Friday morning, the two dissenters highlighted their fundamental disagreement with the resolution. The student government, having adopted an anonymous voting process, faced criticism from De Nigris and Adkins, who condemned the approach as contrary to their constitution, which mandates that "all… votes of the Student Council shall be held in open session and minutes shall be made public." This voting method sparked a storm of controversy, leading to Friday's exodus.
The controversial resolution points a finger at Harvard's alleged investment of nearly $200 million in entities connected to the Israeli military and illegal settlements in Palestine. In explaining the gravity of their decision to push for divestment, HLS student body co-presidents Swap Agrawal and Tolu Alegbeleye cited similar actions by institutions such as Brown, Columbia, Stanford, and the University of California, Berkeley. Pushing back against the measure, Harvard University spokesperson Jason A. Newton stated, "Harvard leadership has made clear that it opposes calls for a policy of boycotting Israel and its academic institutions," referencing a past stance uttered by former University President Lawrence S. Bacow.
As the resolution was fashioned without a meaningful opportunity for students to voice opposition or present alternative views, De Nigris and Adkins were vocal in their dissent. "We voiced our disagreement to the Student Government at every opportunity," they stated, claiming that their concerns were sidelined by the student government's leaders. Despite the growing tension, Agrawal defended the resolution, saying that many students felt a pressing need for such a statement in light of Israel's actions and alleged violations.
The tide of protest at Harvard has seen student groups join rallies and demonstrations demanding the university's financial divestment from Israel. Following the approval of the resolution, Harvard Law School Justice for Palestine labeled the vote as "a feat of student organizing." On the contrary, HLS's Jewish Law Students Association issued a statement in sharp opposition, underscoring, "This student government does not represent us nor many of the hundreds we represent," emphasizing the singularity of Israel as the only Jewish state.
