Stop Funding Climate Change (SFCC) plans to deliver a petition to administrators urging the University to divest from fossil fuel companies this afternoon. The petition calls for them to immediately cease engaging in new investments in fossil fuel companies and to completely divest from fossil fuel companies within five years. They will also demand that the administration decide on a date, within two weeks, on a time for a meeting between President Zimmer, the Board of Trustees, and SFCC that is within five weeks from today.
The event will begin at 3 p.m. on the main quad. According to third year SFCC coordinator Paul Kim, the group has not contacted the dean-on-call, any member of UCPD, or any member of the administration to prepare for the event. At the recommendation of their advisor, Assistant Director of the Student Activities Center Arthur Lundberg, the group reserved the main quad for the afternoon.
The petition had between 500 and 600 signatures as of yesterday afternoon, according to Kim.
At the end of last quarter, SFCC delivered a letter addressed to President Zimmer urging him to divest. Kim said an SFCC member gave it to an administrator, but the group never heard back.
Representatives from Southside Solidarity Network, UChicago Climate Action Network, Students Organizing United for Labor, and University of Chicago Coalition for Immigrant Rights are expected to be present. Kim said he expects about 50 people to show up.
