This form is for Smith College alumni who would like to stand in solidarity with the Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) in their demand for Smith to divest from weapons manufacturers. By filling out this form, you agree to the demands outlined below, which will be sent to Board of Trustees Chair Alison Overseth, Secretary of the Board of Trustees Elena Palladino, Vice President of Finance and Administration David DeSwert, and President Sarah Willie-LeBreton.

After months of mobilizing on campus, in March of 2024 Smith College Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) were informed that their proposal for divestment was rejected by The Advisory Committee on Investor Responsibility (ACIR), a subcommittee of the Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees, saying that the current Smith holdings are “negligible.” Read more here.

We as Smith Alumni disagree. NO investment in weapons manufacturing is negligible or acceptable. 

More About Smith’s Investment 

Smith is currently invested in two exchange traded funds (ETFs), one of which has 0.4% of its holdings in aerospace and defense companies, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, L3Harris, RTX Corporation (Raytheon), General Dynamics, Hexcel, and Northrop Grumman. Smith owns 171,157 shares. All of these companies supply weapons or the components of weapons that arm not only the Israeli occupation and genocide in Palestine, but also violence all over the world.

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To the Smith College administration:

We write to you as alumni who are deeply devastated and outraged by Israel’s ongoing siege of Palestinians in Gaza, as well as the escalation of state-sanctioned violence against all Palestinians. This includes the systematic annihilation of the educational sector in Gaza.

Smith prides itself on “developing engaged global citizens and leaders to address society’s challenges.” As such, we cannot in good conscience financially support Smith. Israel’s siege in Gaza would not be possible without the military aid provided through the United States government, companies, and financial systems. We join students and alumni across the country in an urgent call for divestment from any and all investments in military contractors and weapons manufacturers, no matter how indirect or “negligible” they may be.

As alumni of Smith, we stand in solidarity with Smith Students for Justice in Palestine and demand: 

Complete financial divestment from ETF holdings in aerospace and defense companies, including Lockheed Martin, Boeing, L3Harris, RTX Corporation (Raytheon), General Dynamics, Hexcel, and Northrop Grumman.  

Smith College cannot train its students to engage in a global community without first fulfilling its own role as a global moral leader. Therefore, Smith MUST commit to divesting from war profiteers. Until these demands are met, we pledge to withhold any and all financial support to Smith College.