Higher Ed Institutions Must Divest From Police and Invest in Students and Communities

As an organization dedicated to the dismantling of white supremacy, we firmly and without reservation, condemn the violent and racist actions of police in Minnesota and all over the United States. Furthermore, we demand that both public and private universities and colleges across the country take action and divest from police, immediately. In the interest of public safety, particularly for Black students, faculty, and community members, we demand that schools cut ties with police and end the use of police officers on campus. Police and militarized college and university campuses do not keep us safe.

Institutions of Higher Education have historically followed in the footsteps of national government, which has shown a lack of investment in Black communities while overly investing in the disregard of Black and brown lives. Instead of accepting dark money donations from people who actively uphold white supremacy and profit from privatizing the prison industrial complex, schools should divest from police and invest budgets into local communities.

Black students, faculty, and alumni have always been an integral part of our grassroots organizing. We uplift the words of University of Minnesota student and undergrad student body president Jael Kerandi: “As student leaders, we do have a stake in the operations of the University of Minnesota Police Department. Therefore we clearly and without hesitation DEMAND that the University of Minnesota Police Department ceases any partnerships with the Minneapolis Police Department immediately. [...] A man was murdered. It is our job as an institution to exert whatever pressure we can to keep our students safe and demand justice in our city and state.” 

We stand in solidarity with Kerandi’s demands and expand the call to all universities and colleges across the country. Students and faculty all over the United States are hurting. Academic integrity, freedom, and inquiry are at risk; the security and well being of the Black community is at risk, and we must act now if a real difference is to be made.