Today, the Board of Visitors of the University of Mary Washington voted unanimously to divest 98% of its endowment from the ‘Carbon 200’ of fossil fuel companies. The vote comes after years of hard-fought campaigning, including a peaceful sit in at the President’s office that lasted for three weeks, resulting in three arrests. The University of Mary Washington has now become the first university in Virginia, and the first public university in the South to move forward on fossil fuel divestment. 

The student activists of DivestUMW worked tirelessly to secure the direct support of over 25% of the student body, the President’s Council on Sustainability, and dozens of faculty members. Last year, the Board of Visitors voted down divestment after a recommendation from the President’s Council on Sustainability. Today’s vote to divest falls on the one year anniversary of the arrest of two students and one community member as the university chose to forcibly end the students’ three-week sit in.

 
The divestment movement has sprung up on college campuses and municipalities around the globe, as a vehicle to move investment strategy in line with the moral case for combating climate change. The students from the University of Mary Washington have worked tirelessly to make this case — attending conferences, trainings, and workshops to enhance their knowledge and efficacy of their campaign. They networked with universities and activists around the globe to build their strongest possible case.
 
Following the vote to divest, UMW first-year student Drew Shannon said:

“The decision to divest from fossil fuels represents a rejection of the immoral activities of the industry. Companies such as Dominion Power have an unethical hold over our politics in Virginia, exploit our natural resources, and damage our environment. The University of Mary Washington’s rejection of these practices is a crucial first step in the fight towards a just transition away from this irresponsible and damaging industry.”

Sophomore Sarah Kinzer remarked:

“This decision is the result of the collective work of hundreds of students over several years. As the first Virginia university to divest, Mary Washington can now proudly call itself an ethical place to learn – one that values the lives of those affected by climate change and acts on those values.”

This decision marks a clear turning point for the Virginia climate movement, and the campus divestment movement across the south. This decision highlights the fact that public institutions are taking the threat of climate change seriously, and willing to prioritize moral obligations over short-term, harmful profits from a destructive industry.