UW-Madison student government passes divestment resolution
Associated Students of Madison passed a resolution calling for UW System divestment from companies linked to 'apartheid and genocide, including Israel’s genocide of Gaza,' despite university warnings of illegality under state anti-boycott laws. The vote followed heated debate, a Jewish student walkout, and conflicting legal interpretations. UW stated it would not engage further with illegal demands.
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The Associated Students of Madison (ASM) Student Council passed a controversial divestment resolution on March 25 calling for the University of Wisconsin System to divest from companies linked to "apartheid and genocide, including Israel's genocide of Gaza."[1] The vote came after the university's legal team warned ASM leadership that the resolution violates Wisconsin state law, which prohibits government agencies from boycotting Israel.[1]
The resolution emerged from weeks of campus activism led by Students for Justice in Palestine, the Palestine Solidarity Committee, and Young Democratic Socialists of America, among over 30 supporting organizations.[2] The measure specifically targets BlackRock, in which the UW System has invested at least $1 billion, citing the investment firm's $65 million in Israeli bonds.[5] The debate stretched nearly four hours during an initial March 18 meeting, with more than 45 students and community members speaking for and against the proposal before time constraints forced a postponement to the March 25 special session.[2][3]
UW-Madison administration swiftly rejected the resolution, stating it contains "flawed, unrelated and illegal demands" that the university cannot implement.[1] The university emphasized that Wisconsin state law, rooted in former Governor Scott Walker's executive order 261, explicitly forbids state agencies from participating in boycotts of Israel.[2] Dean of Students Christina Olstad told ASM members the resolution was in "direct conflict" with state law.[2] The university also condemned antisemitic language allegedly used in online chats related to the debate.[1]
For UW-Madison students and staff, the resolution highlights deepening divisions on campus over Middle East policy. While ASM's resolutions do not bind university policy or the Board of Regents, the vote signals student demands for greater transparency and ethical oversight of campus investments—even as legal barriers prevent the specific divestment demands from being implemented.