EDITORIAL – Pitt must join Sudan divestment movement

Hundreds of colleges and universities, from Duke University to Cornell, are taking part in a… Hundreds of colleges and universities, from Duke University to Cornell, are taking part in a nationwide divestment movement to take a stand against the genocide in Darfur. These institutions have divested from companies that operate in Sudan and that could be supportive of the genocide that has claimed 400,000 lives since 2003.

Sadly, however, Pitt is not one of those universities.

Art Ramicone, Vice Chancellor for Budget and Controller at Pitt, told The Pitt News that the University “reviewed our holdings and there was nothing to divest.”

But Pitt has indirect financial ties to Schlumberger, a French oil support company that operates in Sudan. Despite this, the University has not seen the need to join the divestment campaign and formally oppose the atrocious actions of the Sudanese government.

According to Ramicone, because Pitt is part of a consortium of other universities that are invested in companies like Schlumberger, divestment is complicated. However, we can’t help but see this as an excuse. Other colleges and universities across the country have seen the importance of divestment, despite these supposed complications. Pitt shouldn’t be any different.

Ramicone went on to say, “We don’t like anyone trying to limit our investments