Good News from Western Washington

Western Washington University

Western Washington University

StandWithUs is reporting that the student government at Western Washington University unanimously voted yesterday not to consider boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) based on national origin.  The Student government’s “Resolution Regarding International Divestment, Boycott, and Sanctions” is an extraordinary response to the BDS resolutions adopted at other schools.

In a powerfully written statement, the Western Washington student government heavily criticized the discriminatory and divisive features of the modern BDS movement.  In particular, the students lambasted “boycott, divestment, and sanction measures rooted in national origin or other identity-based features” on the grounds that they “can cause students to be targeted on the basis of nationality.”  In addition, the unanimous resolution observed that “isolation of student groups can lead to the perpetration of disrespectful bias, hostility, hate, or harassment, against those groups…”

For this reason, the Western Washington student government, known as ASWWU, resolved that they “shall not take positions advocating divestment from, boycott of, sanctioning, or ceasing collaboration with companies, products, or organizations due to their nation of origin.”  StandWith Us reports that WWU Student Alysa Kipersztok, a StandWithUs Emerson Fellow, initiated the anti-BDS because:

 “I’ve seen how divisive anti-Israel BDS campaigns have been on campuses across the country. Western is a warm, respectful, inclusive community. Our mission statement states that WWU ‘brings together individuals of diverse backgrounds and perspectives in an inclusive, student-centered university.’ BDS has been a source of disconnect and resentment among students, creating a hostile environment. It divides students, marginalizing those who support Israel. I want to thank our ASWWU for unconditionally supporting this process and for working closely with me to represent the desires of students to keep our campus safe.”

The Western Washington University student government, StandWithUs, and Ms. Kipersztok deserve congratulations.