Hello!

My friends and I are trying to create a standing committee in the University Senate that reviews The Ohio State University’s partners with their regards to human rights. If any are found, then this committee will make proposals to the Board of Trustees as to how they can reinvest into entities that are not human rights violators.

I was wondering if you, as an individual, or your student group would be willing to sign onto this petition and this Human Rights Bill Form. We want to submit it to USG soon!

If you are wondering what I am talking about with regards to “entities that may violate human rights”, then let me introduce you to the campaign against Sodexo that happened a few years ago.

Sodexo, a French multinational food services company, violated workers rights on our campus and abroad. After a long and arduous student and staff struggle to reach the administration to try to force them to pressure Sodexo to reform, Sodexo eventually reached a deal with its workers [1].

This is just one of the many ways student struggles on campus have helped in the human rights, but the question is… why the hassle? Why can’t we have a committee in our University Senate that reviews the actions of entities we do business with and their regards to human rights? Let’s build this system! Sign the resolution in support!

Thanks for signing!

Here is a copy of the resolution we want to pass:
A Resolution to Support …

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Whereas the Undergraduate Student Government represents all undergraduate students at The Ohio State University, and

Whereas The Ohio State University is on the forefront in support of human rights and freedoms around the world, and

Whereas The Ohio State University may have relations with entities that may assist in the violation of these rights and freedoms that it so proudly stands for, and

Whereas The Ohio State University would like to maintain its stance in supporting human rights,

Let it Be Resolved that a Human Rights standing committee be formed in the University Senate whose duty will be to review The Ohio State University’s partnerships, and

Let it Further Be Resolved for that committee to make proposals as to how The Ohio State University may reinvest in entities that do not violate human rights, if such an entity is found in violation of the most modern form of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of the United Nations, and

Let it Further Be Resolved that students may submit sourced suggestions of entities that violate human rights laws in an online and accessible format that permits the students, faculty, and staff, to express their concerns.