Student Senate introduced Senate Bill 2526-11 on March 18. The bill was approved unanimously within the Senate, added to the Student Senate election ballot March 31 and passed with 86% of the vote.
The bill calls for Ohio University to publish all of its investments online and to end all investments in Israel bonds through the Ohio University Foundation.
Dan Pittman, senior director of communications, said the university was aware of the referendum and the vote, but noted legal limitations. Pittman said Ohio law prohibits divestment from Israel-related investments.
“While Ohio University values input from Student Senate and the student body it serves, it is important to note that the University will neither consider, nor act upon, any resolution or referendum that proposes illegal actions or could expose the University to civil liability,” Pittman said in an email.
In response to the referendum’s call for greater transparency, Pittman added that OU’s financial information is already publicly available.
“Audited financial statements for the Ohio University Foundation are published annually and are publicly available in accordance with state law,” Pittman said in an email. “These documents, which include consolidated, non-confidential financial information for each fiscal year and an independent auditor's report, can be viewed online.”
Senate President Dan Gordillo said he anticipated the results of the vote, but he has learned in the job not to blindly believe that any legislation will automatically pass.
“You can never be certain, but this doesn’t necessarily surprise me,” Gordillo said.
Donald Theisen, the governmental affairs commissioner, said the passage of the bill does not mean the university will stop its investments in Israel fully. Rather, it means when the time comes to renew the investments, OU will not participate in the renewal.
As Section 9.76 of the Ohio Revised Code states, “a state agency may not enter into or renew a contract with a company for the acquisition or provision of supplies, equipment, or services, or for construction services, unless the contract declares that the company is not boycotting any jurisdiction with whom this state can enjoy open trade, including Israel, and will not do so during the contract period.”
“There's kind of a loophole here with not renewing them, and I know there's another bill (House Bill 489) going through the House right now that would alter that initial bill to make it legal to pull investments again,” Lily Bishilany, the minority affairs commissioner, said.
Bishilany was the primary sponsor of the bill. Secondary sponsors included Theisen; Henry Turner, Eden Truax and Roger Gauthier from Students for Justice in Palestine; Liam Syrvalin, the former President of Young Democratic Socialists of America; and Alma Weisberg, member-leader of Jewish Voice for Peace in Southeast Ohio.
“A really big thank you to everyone who voted … whether you voted for it or against it, your opinion, your voice, your vote, it is all super valuable,” Gordillo said. “The Senate exists to serve the students.”
Turner, a junior studying creative writing and history, said the bill was important to him because he values accountability and transparency, and he wants to see that from the university.
“If (OU administrators) want to actually be transparent, and if you want to show that you care about the voice of the students, now is the time to publish all of your investments, as well as listen to student voices and agree to end all investments directly into Israel,” Turner said.
Theisen said the vote is timely for the university, as there is a large interest and student opinion on the matter.
“It's just something that a lot of students have been persistently concerned about,” Theisen said. “People have been concerned about investments in Israel and defense industries for a long time, but I remember when a lot of these conversations really kicked off after Oct. 7. I remember people talking about OU’s investments even then. They said it's not transparent.”
Even though the vote passed, there is more the Senate is doing. Gordillo said he is meeting with OU President Lori Stewart Gonzalez on April 8, and the results of the vote will be discussed in the meeting.
“What else I can commit to is working with the next administration to see that this is continued,” Gordillo said. “I've got a strong feeling that Donald (Theisen) is going to continue this, considering that he was a sponsor of the bill to have this referendum.”
The bill and the vote were a collaboration between numerous OU student organizations and required the civic engagement of the student body.
“I want to say that this referendum was supported by many other student organizations, and that student organizations are coming together to represent the voice of the students, and Students for Justice in Palestine are in solidarity with all Ohio University and Athens community organizations that want to make a difference,” Turner said.
