Syracuse University’s Board of Trustees has voted to not publicly commit to divest from private prisons or companies that profit from them. At the last University Senate meeting, Chancellor Kent Syverud reiterated this position.

The university’s position on this issue shows a disregard for the campus’ expressed wishes on this issue, and should be reversed.

Anna Henderson|Digital Design Editor

The industry of private prisons is a morally bankrupt industry. It is one that seemingly has no problem effectively enslaving millions of people — and I’m also not the only person who believes this.

“The for-profit prison industry not only profits from mass incarceration, it’s legislative lobbying efforts and campaign donations have been instrumental in its creation and maintenance,” said Janice Dowell, a philosophy professor and university senator from the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Graduate Student Organization, the Senate and the Student Association all previously passed resolutions backing the idea of a public statement.

Dowell said “the board refused to follow the will of our university community. Such secretive and summary refusal may be acceptable at the corporations on which board members sit but it is unacceptable at an institution devoted to mutual learning through the free and fair exchange of ideas.”

SU released a public statement in February 2017 stating that they were not at that point invested in private prisons, but officials refuse to make any additional public statement addressing the future investment portfolio of SU.

The university must respond to the campus’ demands for a public statement on divestment in a way that shows SU knows that it has a moral responsibility on this issue.

Ryan Golden is a sophomore policy studies and religion dual major. His column appears biweekly. He can be reached at rjgolden@syr.edu and on Twitter @RyanJGolden.

Published on September 17, 2018 at 10:24 pm