This article was originally published in the February 2025 print edition.
Over a year ago, after the Oct. 7 attacks and the beginning of the Gaza war, protests swept across U.S. college campuses as students called for their colleges and universities to divest from military contractors in response to civilian casualties resulting from Israel’s attacks on Gaza. At Smith College, the group Smith Students for Justice in Palestine (SSJP) is active in the divestment effort and broader activism for Palestinian sovereignty. After the inauguration of President Trump and the first phase of a ceasefire agreement in the region, SSJP says their goals remain unwavering as they enter a new semester.
“SSJP existed long before the assault on Gaza began last October and will continue to exist until Palestine is liberated and Palestinians have the right to self determination,” said SSJP member Priya Dalal-Whelan ’25.
SSJP is connected to a network of organizational chapters under the umbrella of the organization National Students for Justice in Palestine, with associated clubs across the United States and Canada.
SSJP has a range of ongoing, specific demands for Smith College. The group has repeatedly called for Smith to divest its endowment — a $2.6 billion invested fund used to finance scholarships and other college operations — from companies that SJP has identified as tied to the crisis in Gaza.
“We want to see a commitment from the college to divest their money from corporations backing the genocide, as well as an acknowledgement of genocide and scholasticide being committed in Gaza,” said SSJP member Persephone Sinnis-Bourozikas ’25.
Speaking to The Sophian in April, Smith College Vice President of Finance and Administration David DeSwert addressed questions about divestment. “It is not easy to divest from specific sectors because of the pooled nature of Smith’s investments,” DeSwert said. “We select managers of funds and passive index funds that then invest in specific businesses. We do not choose the specific business.”
SSJP views Smith’s investments as hypocritical, as the college often emphasizes its commitment to values such as diversity and human rights.
“I think it’s unacceptable for institutions which claim to promote equity to look the other way when you have blockades cutting off food and water to a whole people, intentional destruction of civil society, [and] indiscriminate bombing, all supported by our government and funded by our taxes,” Dalal-Whelan said.
International Human Rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have determined that Israel is committing acts of genocide in Gaza. Prior to the ceasefire, more than 46,000 Palestinians were killed. Many organizations estimate the true death toll to be far higher, with the Lancet finding that indirect deaths (from starvation and disease) could bring the death toll to more than 180,000 people.
SSJP says they are focused on centering impacted Palestinians in their efforts as they hold regular events to fundraise for families in Gaza and acknowledge the crisis’ human impact. Since Oct. 2023, they have held multiple vigils to read aloud the names of those killed. Additionally, every Thursday, the organization tables in the Campus Center to raise awareness about their ongoing efforts. The group also hosted an Open Mic Fundraiser and a Craft Night last semester to raise money for families in Gaza.
SSJP drafted a divestment proposal that the college considered in March of 2024. However, The Advisory Committee on Investor Responsibility, the subcommittee of the Smith Board of Trustees tasked with addressing issues of social responsibility in the endowment, said they did not endorse this proposal to divest, writing that “the endowment’s investment in military contractors and weapons manufacturers is negligible and entirely indirect.”
Following the decision not to divest last March, SSJP occupied College Hall for 13 days in protest as they demanded reconsideration. Across the country, many SJP chapters also protested the actions of their colleges and universities.
Sinnis-Bourozikas says that, since last spring, “the Board of Trustees has met with SJP multiple times,” but “they have refused to reconsider the proposal.”
This semester, SSJP plans to continue fundraising for families, work towards divestment from weapons manufacturers and to continue their advocacy for the creation of a scholarship for Palestinian students at Smith and better support for Arab and Muslim students. On Feb. 28, the organization will host a fundraising carnival for Palestinian families they are in contact with.
“Ultimately, education and knowledge are some of the most powerful tools we can use at an academic institution,” added Sinnis-Bourozikas. “As an organization, we are committed to education as a large part of our mission.”
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