Despite the formal rejection of the removal of the $24 million worth of investments that the University of Denver currently holds in the fossil fuel industry by the Board of Trustees in 2017 and into 2023, the student organization Divest DU is still active in its continued effort to pressure the Board into a different decision. Divest DU has been organizing to make their voices heard, but the new year has also come with challenges both new and continued. 

At the start of the year, Divest DU faced roadblocks to their efforts. The activism group was barred from communication with members of the Board of Trustees and Chancellor Jeremy Haefner unlike they had been in the past. 

However, after delivering a letter expressing the frustrations of Divest DU for not being granted a dialogue with the chancellor, Haefner offered to meet with members of Divest DU on Feb. 13. Divest DU agreed and engaged in a thirty-minute in-person meeting with Chancellor Haefner, Anne Deprince, Leslie Brunelli and Mia Sundstrum. 

In that meeting, members of Divest DU were told by Haefner that the Board of Trustees is remaining adamant in their decision to not divest from fossil fuel investments and that now is “not the time” to be organizing for divestment. 

Haefner encouraged members of Divest DU to engage in the Denver Dialogues (multi-party panel discussion events) going into the future and other civil discourse platforms, but at the same time recommended Divest DU de-center the sole issue of divestment and instead organize around other issues concerning sustainability. Divest DU does partner with other student organizations and works for many reforms for sustainable practices, but the reason for Divest DU’s existence is the particularly pertinent issue of divestment itself. 

Haefner repeated a counterargument to divestment made many times before by the Board of Trustees, that the University of Denver is in a unique position to not divest from the fossil fuel industry. The reasons why that is the case have largely remained undisclosed, prompting efforts to learn more.

Earlier this year, members of Divest DU reached out directly to the investment company that manages the endowment of DU, Investure, to ask questions regarding DU’s investments in fossil fuels. Haefner told members of Divest DU in the same meeting that several members of the Board of Trustees were offended by this move, and that they felt it was disrespectful to them and a breach of trust between the two parties. Normally, contact with Investure by Divest DU would be directed through the administration of DU and the Board of Trustees. 

Divest DU only made an effort to have important questions answered, and it should not be discouraged from wanting to understand the issue of divestment at DU better.

However, despite the many obstacles Divest DU continues to face, there is good news to be shared and new actions being planned. The meeting with Haefner itself hopefully signals a willingness of the chancellor to talk and work with Divest DU even if interests and goals conflict. Haefner informed Divest DU that although the investment committee on the Board of Trustees does not seem to want to have a conversation about divestment, the class committee that deals with issues of student well-being may be willing to on the basis of climate anxiety affecting student mental health. 

Divest DU is also planning many events for the near future that all are invited to take part in. On March 3, Divest DU plans to take part in the Fridays for Futures protests, the youth climate protest movement started by Greta Thunberg, and hopes to bring as many students out as possible. Divest DU is also hosting a Climate Fresk training session on April 22, where people can play a card game to explain the multifaceted causes and effects of global warming. 

Divest DU hopes with greater participation from students organizing from the bottom up, a better DU is possible and the challenges Divest DU has faced can be overcome. 

For any updates or details about upcoming events, follow Divest DU on Instagram @divest_du, or register with Divest DU on Crimson Connect to be on the mailing list. Weekly meetings of Divest DU are held every Tuesday at 7 p.m., typically in the Anderson Academic Commons room 290.