Chancellor Mark Mone sent the following message to Students for a Democratic Society Friday, March 1.
This message is a follow-up to our meeting on Feb. 26, during which we listened to your concerns.
Though the conflict in the Middle East is thousands of miles away, I understand that many on our campus and in our community are impacted, some personally, and others by witnessing the tragedies of this war every day. UWM has no influence over foreign policy, but I am disheartened that Islamophobia and antisemitism are impacting some of our community members. Every student and employee should feel safe at UWM, and we will continue to work toward that goal.
At the same time, I am personally heartbroken. The violence must end.
Investments
As we shared on Monday, UWM has no investments in weapons manufacturers. UWM does not have an investment portfolio. UWM, like other public universities, is funded with a combination of state general-purpose revenue, program revenue, tuition, and grant funding.
The UWM Foundation, which is an affiliated but independent entity, maintains a balanced portfolio of investments, including large-cap mutual funds. These funds include investments in America’s largest corporations. The Foundation cannot select or divest from individual companies within the funds. The Foundation only invests philanthropic funds from donors with the goal of ensuring the greatest return on investment to support students and faculty at UWM.
Study Abroad
As we also shared with you in the meeting, UWM has no current or planned study-abroad activity in Israel. The last time the Center for International Education had a student study in Israel was in 2018. CIE lists programs from other universities sponsored by UWM on its website but is not accepting applications for those programs at this time. We understand that Hillel Milwaukee provides birthright trips to Israel. Like all other Spiritual and Religious Communities at UWM that support UWM’s students, Hillel is not part of the university, and UWM cannot prevent students from traveling internationally.
Library Name
In our meeting, you provided information related to the library’s name. We will fully consider your concerns and provide a more substantive response in the near future. Although you represent the perspectives of your affiliated student groups, we believe it is important to listen to the perspectives of as many students as possible.
Academic Freedom
In the meeting, you asked UWM to “cut all ties” with Israel, including faculty research. Protecting academic freedom under the First Amendment would preclude UWM from prohibiting faculty from conducting independent research (or teaching) about matters related to the ongoing conflict, the region, humanitarian aid, and more.
Student Advocacy
As we have shared with you previously, the Dean of Students and the Student Association are the most appropriate pathways for students to express concerns and suggestions for change. Following this process helps to ensure that as many student voices as possible are heard. As promised, Dean of Students Adam Jussel will follow up with you.
We are committed to the safety of all UWM students and employees and to continuing to have meaningful discussions about these deeply emotional and personal topics.
Sincerely,
Chancellor Mark Mone