Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1986 [PAGE 426]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

1985]

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

415

ween celebration at Urbana, raised the general question of problems encountered in the use of alcohol by students. He asked that a study, now

being undertaken, be presented at a forthcoming meeting.

Investments in South Africa (1) Mr. Howard was recognized and made a personal statement on this subject; then (in association with Mrs. D a y ) , a motion. Mr. Hahn asked if the motion could be amended to give greater emphasis at the retreat to social issues in general, for example, investments in companies selling alcohol or tobacco?

The point was accepted, and the motion then was approved as amended without dissent.

The statement and motion were as follows: I am personally distressed and disappointed at the claim that our Board of Trustees has closed off discussion or our individual or collective minds to the issue of divestment — defined as the required sale of all stocks in companies which do any business in South Africa. Over the past 10 years, we have spent more collective time and effort over this question than any other single issue. Trustees and administrators have devoted countless hours in meetings, discussions, confrontations, and study. The latter endeavor — reading everything we can find which discusses this controversial issue — has been particularly helpful to us. We are accused of being nonresponsive, or of closing debate, because we have not agreed fully with proponents of divestment. In fact, at times we have been prohibited from having any discussion by a few persons (a minority) who advocate divestment. Recently it has been suggested that a retreat might be a sensible and productive format for further discussions. I agree. Further, I suggest that the University Senates Conference be asked by the board to undertake to arrange such a retreat — probably in connection with our February meetings. Accordingly, I move that the Board of Trustees request the president of the University to ask the University Senates Conference to use its good offices to arrange a retreat to further discuss the question of whether and to what extent social issues such as investments in companies doing business in South Africa should be considered in investment policies of the Board of Trustees. (The consideration of social issues should be broadly discussed, including, for example, investment in companies selling alcohol or tobacco.) The Senates Conference would have full authority to determine a place and format for the board to meet with appropriate and interested faculty and students. President Ikenberry said that he would meet with the University Senates Conference and try to schedule the retreat in connection with the February meeting of the Board of Trustees. Trustee Logan then introduced the following statement and motion; the text had been sent to each of the trustees in advance of the meeting. Motion for Gradual Divestment — South African Stocks There is no hard evidence that any University or other agency has suffered a financial loss as a result of divestment of funds in companies doing busi-