Dear Members of the Pratt Community,

In the midst of more and ongoing horrors in Gaza, we are writing to share the news that our transparency and divestment resolution passed through the Academic Senate last month, with a supermajority of 20 to 6 (with 3 abstentions). 

Nearly 500 members of our Pratt Community signed onto the resolution proposed by Pratt Faculty and Staff for Justice for Palestine (FSJP), joining over 600 students in their demands for divestment. Such a clear and significant mandate requires us to move swiftly and courageously on this collective call to divest from the shattering violence of the Israeli occupation.

What passed in the Academic Senate was the following resolution (1 of 4 resolutions proposed): “that Pratt provides full transparency regarding institutional investments in Israeli companies or companies that profit from the Israeli occupation of Palestine and prepares to divest from these holdings, if any.” Joining academic and cultural institutions across the globe, we must leverage whatever influence we have to interrupt the state violence unleashed on Gaza by Israel with US arms. Divestment, along with the academic and cultural boycott, is the most viable way to voice our public dissent.

In May, President Bronet encouraged our Board of Trustees to establish an accelerated timeline to consider the resolution over this summer. FSJP will be meeting with Board of Trustees members before the Fall semester to help move forward a vote on the resolution as soon as possible.

We will keep you posted on our progress, and we encourage your continued involvement! We are stronger together. If you are interested in joining us in our efforts as Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine and working in solidarity with our students, please stay subscribed to this newsletter so we can send you occasional news and information about upcoming relevant events. If you would like to connect further, you can write to us at prattfjp[at]protonmail[dot]com. We also encourage you to follow us on Instagram @Pratt_FJP. If you are not interested in hearing from us in the future, you can unsubscribe through the link in the footer.

The urgency of divestment becomes clearer and clearer as we watch American bombs drop on tent cities in Rafah. We know that, as signers of the resolution, you share our sense of urgency, and we are heartened by the fact that the resolution has your support. We look forward to working with this incredible community as we continue our work together of refusing complicity in this genocide.

Signed,

Pratt Faculty & Staff for Justice in Palestine