Darfur and Divestment in Sudan

Last updated on June 2, 2008

The University's decision making with respect to divestment in Sudan was outlined by President Robert J. Zimmer in a memo on Feb. 2, 2007. The University's response was informed largely by the work of the Kalven Committee and its “Kalven Report on the University's Role in Political and Social Action.” Below are additional resources about this topic.

Frequently Asked Questions

What has the University of Chicago decided with respect to investments in companies that do business with the government of Sudan?

The University has decided not to divest from companies that do business with the government of Sudan. In February 2007, after careful and extensive deliberation, the Board of Trustees affirmed a longstanding practice of not taking explicit positions on social and political issues that do not have a direct bearing on the University. President Robert Zimmer issued a statement explaining the University’s decision.

What process was used to arrive at that decision?

Over several months in 2006 and 2007, President Zimmer led conversations with faculty, students, administrative leaders, and trustees. These discussions included a meeting between students leading the divestment campaign, President Zimmer and the Chair of the Board of Trustees. In addition, the Board of Trustees, which has responsibility for University investment policy, considered the issue at four separate meetings and reviewed the correspondence received from students, faculty and community members.

The outcome of these discussions:

  • A lack of consensus on the effectiveness of divestment or other economic boycotts; and
  • A reaffirmation of core values that determine how the University of Chicago can have a positive impact on situations like Darfur.

What are the underlying principles that governed the University’s decision?

The University believes that it has a powerful and lasting impact on society only when it guarantees the freedom of inquiry that allows faculty and students to challenge social institutions and beliefs.

This belief, articulated by the faculty in the 1967 Kalven Report, states: “To perform its mission in society, a university must sustain an extraordinary environment of freedom of inquiry and maintain an independence from political...pressures.”

Does the decision not to divest mean the University is condoning the genocide in Darfur?

No. University trustees, administrators, faculty, staff and students have expressed their concern and outrage over the atrocities being committed in Darfur. President Zimmer noted in his February 2007 statement that “the University should seek to identify ways to contribute to greater understanding of the conflict in Sudan in ways consonant with the University’s mission, with the hope of adding value to ongoing efforts to end this international crisis.”

Why is the University relying on a faculty report from 1967?

The Kalven Report does not reflect solely the opinions of a handful of faculty members at a single point in time. Rather, it is the articulation of an enduring set of principles, present since the University’s founding, that go directly to the heart of its most deeply cherished values.

Geoffrey Stone, Law School Professor and former Provost, wrote about these values in his blog as he considered the difficult issue of Darfur and divestment: “Universities—most especially this University—exist for a very special reason. They exist to create a forum in which students, professors, and researchers may explore every issue from every side without fear of official condemnation or judgment. They exist to enable talented and committed individuals to seek the truth. ...They exist to serve as a safe haven in which even the most controversial and despised views may be aired, confronted, and considered. The role of the University is not to ‘decide’ such questions, but to create and nurture an environment in which we may freely and openly debate them, without fearing that the University has already resolved them on our behalf.”

Doesn’t the Kalven Report itself say there may be exceptions?

Yes. The Kalven Committee acknowledged that, “In the exceptional instance...the corporate activities of the university may appear so incompatible with paramount social values as to require careful assessment of the consequences.” This question was the focus of extensive campus discussion. In weighing the consequences, the preponderance of opinion was that divestment, while posing a real risk to the University’s values of open and free inquiry, was not likely to have a meaningful impact on the circumstances in Darfur.

How much does the University have invested in securities of companies that do business with the government of Sudan?

The University hires external fund managers who invest in a wide range of funds, most of them aggregates of many types of businesses. In the past, when this question has been researched, the amount invested has totaled about $1 million, a small fraction of the University’s $6.2 billion endowment.

What other actions is the University taking with respect to Darfur?

Through University resources and the personal financial contributions of the Chair of the Board of Trustees, the University created a $200,000 Darfur Action and Education Fund in order to support student and faculty work on topics related to Darfur. In announcing the fund, President Zimmer expressed the hope that it “will encourage creative and entrepreneurial thinking about University-based activities that will broaden knowledge and help prepare our students—through real world experiences and scholarly work—to advance human rights and the well-being of people around the world.”

What projects have been supported as part of the Darfur Action and Education Fund?

After the first three rounds of proposal submissions, funding was approved for four projects:

  • An international conference, “Genocide: Crimes Unpunished, Lessons Unlearned,” held on campus April 4-5, examined the crime of genocide and the legal, social and political framework for dealing with present crimes and deterring future acts of genocide;
  • The Darfur Education and Community Participation Project sent one of the University’s graduate students to the Darfur region of Sudan to participate in the construction of an early-childhood education center at a displacement camp;
  • A series of Human Rights internships around the world have been established for students; and
  • “The Humanities in Difficult Circumstances” conference will bring together academics and artists who live in Sudan to discuss how we can promote education under the most extreme circumstances.

Proposals continue to be received and will be considered for funding until the $200,000 has been exhausted.

What is the University’s track record on human rights issues more broadly?

The University has a proud history in this area. Numerous academic programs are offered that immerse students in questions of human rights across the globe, and give them opportunities to live, work, and conduct projects among people who do not experience the same quality of human rights enjoyed by U.S. citizens. It is precisely by cultivating an environment of free and open inquiry that the University empowers students and faculty to pursue such scholarship in ways that have a lasting, positive impact on society.

How does the University work to address human rights issues in its neighboring communities?

The University is engaged with the City, State, and community organizations to improve the quality of life—access to education and health care, well-paying jobs, and safe and thriving neighborhoods. These efforts include:

  • A charter school and school network that enrolls 3,000 students;
  • Partnerships with more than two dozen Chicago Public Schools to improve education on the Near South Side;
  • Providing outstanding medical care to members of our community—the University of Chicago Medical Center is the largest private provider of uncompensated medical care in the State;
  • Programs to enhance the availability of jobs for neighborhood residents; and
  • Investments in housing, retail, and public amenities.

Over the past five years, the University has invested more than $70 million in these and other community engagement initiatives.

University Programs

University Darfur coverage

University News Releases

The University of Chicago Chronicle

University of Chicago Magazine

More on Divestment

Additional Resources