On Monday, April 22, Cornell announced the results of two Cornell student referenda which asked students if Cornell should call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, as well as if Cornell should divest from weapons manufacturers such as Boeing, BAE Systems, General Dynamics and others. Both measures passed, with a 2:1 ratio voting yes to both measures, with around 47% undergraduate student participation.
On April 8th, students received a message from Executive Vice President Claire Ting ‘25 discussing the referendum and laying out the logistics for its procedure. Members of the Cornell community were encouraged to submit pro or con statements to the referendum, which were later posted on April 15th. Pro statements mostly spoke about ending the civilian casualties in gaza while also opposing Cornell’s association with the war, including accusations that Israel is committing a “genocide” in Gaza. Con statements mostly spoke about how there should not be a ceasefire until all of the hostages held by Hamas are freed, with others saying that Israel has a right to defend itself. Others argued that it is not the place of a University to direct the policy of other nations.
Voting opened at 8 am Thursday April 18th, and closed Friday April 19th at 8pm. Proponents for and against the resolution actively campaigned on campus, with both groups setting up tables in Ho Plaza. They asked students if they would be voting for or against the resolution. Pro Palestinian students canvassed the Cornell Store and other common areas asking students if they had voted yes on the referendum. Chalk messages could also be seen across campus with words such as “Divest Now!”, “Free Palestine” and “Vote for Peace”, particularly around the engineering quad. Cornell Hillel had sent out several messages preceding and during the voting period, urging students to vote against the resolution, calling it a part of the BDS (Boycott, Sanction, Divestment) movement.
On Question 1, “Should Cornell University call for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza?”
- Yes: 5,043 votes
- No: 2,074 votes
On Question 2, “Should Cornell University follow their 2016 Guidelines for Divestment and divest from the following weapons manufacturers: BAE Systems, Boeing, Elbit Systems, General Dynamics, L3Harris Technologies, Leonardo, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX, and ThyssenKrupp?”
- Yes: 4,960 votes
- No: 2,193 votes
In response to the results, President of the Student Assembly Patrick Kuehl ‘24 stated that, “The results of this referendum are a statement against the killing of civilians; against the structural situation that creates cyclical violence; and against the actions of the Israeli Government.”
The vote comes on the heels of dueling rallies held by Pro-Israel and Pro-Palestine groups last Sunday. On the arts quad, a group of around a hundred Jewish students gathered to rally against anti-semitism on campus and in support of Israel. The students engaged in several dances, while also listening to a number of guest speakers, including Ithaca Congressional Representative Marc Molinaro. A group of around 50 Anti-Israel students held a rally at Ho Plaza, calling on the University to divest from Israel. They eventually marched into the Ithaca Commons to join protesters from Ithaca College.
Under the terms of the Student Assembly Charter, the vote requires a response from President Pollack, who will more likely than not, oppose any such measures, as she has previously voiced her opposition to any BDS initiatives as illegal in New York State.
