FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - After several Northern Arizona University students confronted President Rita Cheng demanding the university -- specifically the school's fundraising non-profit, NAU Foundation -- "divest from the fossil fuel industry," Cheng addressed the issue in a written statement.
"NAU's approach to the topic of divestment is straightforward: choose pragmatism over symbolism. The (NAU) Foundation will continue to deploy a strategy that ensures financial success, and I support that choice," Cheng wrote. "As a university we will continue to make careful, well-planned moves toward long-term sustainability initiatives."
Cheng's response comes after four days of student-led sit-in protests that resulted in eight arrests. The group Fossil Free NAU held a sit-in Wednesday evening outside Cheng's office after she backed out of a promise to address the group with a statement.
"President Cheng has basically removed herself from the conversation of divestment and pointed to Foundation board as descision makers in her letter," said NAU senior Michaela Mujica-Steiner, a senior who was arrested on Monday. "[Cheng] is not standing with students right now and we will feel like we are going to really move this forward and we are looking forward to meeting with the NAU Foundation to discuss moving toward fossil fuel divestment."
Several students waited for Cheng to exit an event celebrating the opening of a new DNA lab on campus to confront her face-to-face with questions. The group says they made several attempts throughout the week to speak with Cheng, but received no response.
In Cheng's statement, she writes that students with Fossil Free NAU have provided the Foundation with presentations on numerous occasions and cites the Foundation manages all private contributions with the purpose of supporting the university in areas of research, operations and sustainability.
Cheng said the issue of fossil fuel divestment will be an agenda item at a future Foundation board meeting.
