Divesting means to withdraw stocks, bonds, or investment funds, that are unethical or morally ambiguous. Central Michigan University, along with countless other organizations and institutions of higher learning, are currently investing our funds in the fossil fuel industry to generate a profit. The fossil fuel industry has a long track record of oversights and mishaps that have lead to billions of
dollars being lost, irreversible environmental destruction, and loss of life. Two of the most recent and well known occurrences where the BP oil spill off of the gulf coast, and the Enbridge tar sands oil spill in Marshall, Michigan. However these occurrences are only two of the countless other mistakes that have occurred throughout the history of the fossil fuel industry. We want President Ross and the CMU Board to immediately freeze any new investment in fossil fuel companies, and divest from direct ownership and any commingled funds that include fossil fuel public equities and corporate bonds within 5 years. In light of the high rate of oil spills, water and air contamination, increase in natural disasters caused by the effects of climate change, and the oppression of indigenous people and fossil fuel extraction communities due to the the fossil fuel industry; we believe FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY doesn't just mean maximizing returns for the school, it also means investing the endowment in a way that is in alignment with the mission and values of CMU. Universities are entrusted with shaping today's young people. Beyond the education and opportunities provided for us, CMU acts to shape our future through the investments it makes. Divestment from fossil fuels shows an understanding that investing in an industry that is destroying the future of all living things is counter productive for an institution that is supposed to be leading the way for the future. The future of those less privileged than us is equal to and as important as our own career opportunities. The fossil fuel industry has a strong hold on our politicians, government, and unfortunately even our education system. We need to loosen the grip they have and show them that we will not accept their destructive ways anymore. We are asking the university to divest our endowment from the fossil fuel industry and reinvest it into socially responsible companies and industries. Such as clean technology, renewable energy, sustainable companies or projects, and sustainable communities.This is the first step in achieving a liveable future for all. Students at more than two hundred colleges and universities in the United States have launched campaigns to have their institutions divest from fossil fuel companies; several cities including Ann Arbor, Seattle, and San Francisco have also made plans and commitments to divest their funds from fossil fuel companies. One of the Central Michigan University core values is Social Responsibility, which states its purpose as “Fostering citizenship to promote the public good, environmental sustainability, global understanding, and informed political engagement.” By continuing to invest in the fossil fuel industry CMU is abandoning its mission and core values, as well as robbing us of a just and liveable future. Join the nationwide campaign and urge Central Michigan University to divest from the fossil fuel industry!
