Evergreen Gaza Solidarity Encampment
Memorandum of Understanding
April 30, 2024
Memorandum of Understanding Between The Evergreen State College and
the Evergreen Gaza Solidarity Encampment
The Evergreen State College (“Evergreen”) and Evergreen Gaza Solidarity Encampment hereby enter into this memorandum of understanding and agreement as of April 30, 2024.
Whereas, Evergreen is a public college of the State of Washington.
Whereas, Evergreen has investment policies dated 2013 and has certain investments held by the University of Washington.
Whereas, in the course of its operations, Evergreen applies for and receives grant funding.
Whereas, Evergreen Gaza Solidarity Encampment, has been established to exercise a student’s First Amendment rights to speech and protest and the members of the negotiating team have come here in good faith and looking for a successful resolution.
Now hereby, the parties agree as follows:
Engage in college-wide governance to address the following issues:
The college will charge four committees to begin work in Spring on four policy questions. These committees will publish quarterly reports on their progress. The GSU will appoint up to three students to each committee. The Faculty Agenda Committee will be asked to appoint two faculty to each committee. The president will appoint staff membership on the committee, provide for administrative support for the committee, and will designate chairs or co-chairs of each committee. Any policy changes implemented as a result of the work of these task forces will not be rescinded without a similar public process. The four committees are:
- Investment Policy Disappearing Task Force, charged with proposing revisions to investment policies, including new proposed language on socially responsible investments/divestments. The task force will develop a definition for socially responsible investing. The DTF will address divestment from companies that profit from gross human rights violations and/or the occupation of Palestinian territories. Information provided to this task force will provide the fullest transparent view Evergreen has available of investments to support the work of the task force to complete a recommendation. This task force will work with the Foundation and the college to establish the soonest time recommendations can be made and acted upon. The Task Force will convene by the end of Spring quarter 2024. Recommendations are due in Fall quarter 2024, for consideration by the Foundation and the College, with the implementation of the divestment policy to begin during Spring quarter 2025 and completed by Spring 2026.
- Grant Acceptance Policy Disappearing Task Force, charged with recommending a policy that would provide criteria for accepting or refusing grant funding based on the purposes of the grant. Criteria would include such considerations as whether grants facilitate illegal occupations abroad, limit free speech, or support oppression of minorities. The recommendations will be shared with the Board of Trustees promptly upon completion and circulated to the Student, Staff and Faculty email DL. This recommendation is due in Fall Quarter 2024, with implementation to begin during Spring quarter 2025 and completed by Spring 2026.
- Civilian Oversight of the Police Department Disappearing Task Force, charged with proposing a new Police Services Community Review Board structure. The new structure may include multiple recommendations, among those recommendations will include updates to the Police Services Standard Operating Procedures to include the role of the Police Services Community Review Board. The President’s office will support members of the committee who wish to attend the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement’s annual meeting in Tucson, Arizona on October 13-17. Recommendations are due to Executive Leadership by the end of Winter quarter 2025, with implementation to begin during Fall 2025 and completed by Fall 2026.
- Alternative Models of Crisis Response Disappearing Task Force, charged with proposing a new, non-law enforcement model for 24-hour crisis response that provides for medical care, de-escalation and the tools, equipment, and culture that will best serve our community. Recommendations are due to Executive Leadership by the end of Winter quarter 2025, with implementation to begin during Spring 2025 and completed by 2030.
Make a statement:
The college will make a statement defending speech rights of students and others, including those doing Palestinian solidarity work. The FULL statement be reviewed by negotiators and a faculty representative before it is released.
The subject line of the email will be: “Statement from the President regarding the Red Square Encampment and the ongoing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.” The following paragraph would be included:
“Like many, I am horrified and grief-stricken by the violence and suffering being inflicted due to the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I wish to see an end to the violence and restoration of international law, including respect for the March 25 United Nations resolution. Specifically, the resolution called for a lasting, sustainable ceasefire honored by all parties, immediate and unconditional release of all hostages, expanded humanitarian assistance, and the protection of civilians. Additionally, I mourn the destruction of universities and hospitals, the killing of journalists, and want to see the release of any prisoner being held without due process.”
The statement will include an acknowledgement of the ICJ’s genocide investigation and comments about US weaponry.
Study Abroad and International Education:
Evergreen affirms the value of study abroad and international education for providing opportunities for students to gain firsthand experience in a complex world, for building capacity for cross-cultural understanding and humility, and for learning across significant differences. Evergreen also affirms the principle of academic freedom, and freedom for students to choose where and how to learn. Evergreen also acknowledges the current restrictions of human rights workers and Palestinians into Gaza. While travel to the region remains at high risk due to the ongoing conflict, Evergreen will not approve study abroad to Israel, Gaza or the West Bank. Evergreen will not approve study abroad programs to regions where our students are denied entry based on their identity as Palestinians or Jews.
Free speech and Free Association:
Evergreen affirms a fundamental principle of freedom of speech and free association. Faculty may associate with professional associations even if their views differ from the college’s. In academic institutions we counter misinformation with informed and open discussion, and critical analysis of the issues. Faculty affiliations do not bind Evergreen to policies that limit free speech.
Discrimination Based on Shared Ancestry or Ethnic Characteristics:
The college is required to comply with state and federal law (i.e. the Washington Law Against Discrimination, RCW 49.60, as well as Title VI) which prohibits discrimination based on shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics, including Jews and Palestinians. The college is obligated to take prompt and appropriate action to respond to harassment that creates a hostile environment, including Islamophobic and Antisemitic harassment, as part of our compliance with applicable law.
Reconciliation:
The college has made a temporary exception to the campus habitation policy over the last several days, but we will end that exception on Wednesday, May 1 by 5pm, which means the encampment will conclude at that time. As part of the decampment process, students will remove all material from Red Square, and dispose of trash and recycling as instructed by Facilities staff. Remaining in the encampment after that time will leave students open to sanctions described in Student Rights and Responsibilities. At this time, we have not received reports of violations of policy. If any reports are received, the college will investigate as described in policy.