Student Body President vetoes divestment resolution
A Student Government (SG) resolution to make USF divest in companies purported to have questionable human rights records was vetoed by the student body president.
At Tuesday’s senate meeting, Student Body President Andy Rodriguez and Student Body Vice President Michael Malanga vetoed the resolution in a memo.
According to the memo, Rodriguez and Malanga “believe the message being sent does not reflect an aggregate student voice.”
Moreover, they said they believe bringing such a “polarized and politically driven” topic into SG “serves only to divide the Student Body and to disparage students with opposing viewpoints,” rather than uniting them.
The resolution came before the SG Senate on Jan. 19 and was approved with a vote of 32-12 and four abstentions. However, the university said in a statement that the USF Foundation board would not be considering the request again.
A nearly verbatim resolution came before the Foundation two years ago, and the university did not decide to divest at that time, either. Then, the resolution was presented by members of the university’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine in the form of a presentation of a petition with over 10,000.
The resolution also garnered attention on Facebook with dozens of students posting videos with the hashtag #DearAndy. In these videos, supportive senators and others would explain why they believe the resolution is important.
According to Rodriguez and Malanga’s memo, “it is not the role of Student Government to interject into international politics nor investment policies.”
More Stories
USF won’t install more physical protections following recent on-campus suicide
USF will not be implementing additional physical safety measures over a month after a student leapt from an upper floor inside the Interdisciplinary Sciences building, USF spokeswoman Althea Johnson said. The incident marked the third on-campus suicide since fall 2022. A week after a student fell from an upper floor of Beard Garage in 2022, […]
USF student body president and vice president-elect sworn in
A new era of Student Government (SG) just arrived. In a quick five-minute ceremony, student body president-elect Suryakanth Prasad Gottipati and vice president-elect Sumit Subhash Jadhav were sworn in on Wednesday afternoon. Their term will start on May 6 and last for one year. Related: Take a look at USF’s student leaders’ swearing in ceremony […]
Photos: Take a look at USF’s student leaders’ swearing in ceremony
A new era of Student Government (SG) just arrived. In a quick five-minute ceremony, student body president-elect Suryakanth Prasad Gottipati and vice president-elect Sumit Subhash Jadhav were sworn in on Wednesday afternoon. Related: USF student body president and vice president-elect sworn in Their term will start on May 6 and last for one year. Gabrielle […]
President Joe Biden visits Tampa to talk abortion rights
Gearing up for the 2024 presidential election, President Joe Biden made a stop in Tampa to talk about reproductive freedom in Florida on Tuesday afternoon. The speech comes just two weeks before the state’s six-week abortion ban comes into effect on May 1. Biden called on Floridians to vote for an amendment deciding abortion access […]
‘Genocide Joe has got to go’: Pro-Palestine protestors gather during Biden’s visit to Tampa
While President Joe Biden took 15 minutes to talk on the protection of reproductive rights in Tampa on Tuesday, pro-Palestine protests chanted against the United States handling “on-going genocide” in Gaza, and its alliance to Israel in the conflict. Related: President Joe Biden visits Tampa to talk abortion rights “The lack of coverage in the media […]
USF students can ‘Swap Shop’ their way into free items this week
USF’s Swap Shop is just around the corner. Literally. Bulls can stop by the Swap Shop, located in Holly J, to pick up some free items – from furniture to clothing. Students, staff and faculty had the opportunity to donate items for the Swap Shop earlier this week on Monday and Tuesday. But ‘shopping’ won’t […]