Ohio University recently made an important first step to going conflict-free by releasing a statement that publicly committed us to embracing “the opportunity to practice responsible and ethical control of our resources.”
These words are quoted directly from the statement that the Ad Hoc Committee on Socially Responsible Practices drafted. It has recently become apparent that the university did not take these words seriously. Our statement is being reduced to mere symbolism by the passing of time and our inaction.
No efforts have been made by this university to actually practice responsible and ethical control of our resources. A sympathetic interpretation of this is that moving forward is a long and complicated process, and that it necessarily takes time. If that was the case, my contention would be rendered moot. I do not contest this assertion; the issue is that this long and complicated process has not even begun. The university is resting on its laurels that we received by simply releasing a statement. We have done no work but want all of the credit of being a concerned, engaged university that is responsible to the world at large.
After this statement was released, Student Senate unanimously passed a resolution I sponsored urging OU to complete the process of going conflict-free, roughly following the requests of STAND Against Genocide. The representatives of the student body spoke, but it fell on silent ears.
Words are simply words, though, and we are acting in a shameful fashion for as long as we remain unmoved by the voices of students and the dire crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Every day that we do not make progress on this issue is a day that we are implicitly supporting rape and genocide through our procurement decisions. This sounds hyperbolic; I assure you it is not. I urge President McDavis to reconvene the Ad Hoc Committee on Socially Responsible Practices so that we can resume this project.
Jared Henderson is a senior studying philosophy and the academic affairs commissioner for Student Senate
