On campuses across the United States, students are uniting to call upon their institutions to address the ongoing assault on Gaza, an atrocity labeled by experts as potentially leading to genocide. We stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and our fellow students nationwide. With every university destroyed and over 34,000 lives lost in Gaza, including more than 70% children, and a history of colonialism and apartheid spanning years, this injustice demands our immediate attention as a mercy institution. Moreover, we join with students nationwide in raising our voices against the ongoing war on Gaza, urging institutions to protect their community members and uphold the freedom of speech and assembly for peaceful protesters. Unfortunately, these demonstrations have been met with excessive force, arrests, and police brutality reminiscent of the suppression of the Vietnam anti-war and the South-Africa anti-apartheid movements. As a multi-faith institution grounded in principles of non-violence, mercy, and justice, such actions are contrary to our values, and we unequivocally condemn them.

In solidarity with students advocating for mercy and non-violence across the country and united in our own pursuit for a world that is harmonious, just and merciful, in the spirit of mercy we ask the Salve administration headed by Dr. Kelli J. Armstrong the following four requests: 

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In light of these pressing concerns, we urge the Salve Regina University administration, led by President Kelli J. Armstrong, to not only denounce the violence in Gaza but also to stand alongside the Sisters of Mercy, Catholic Church, and fellow universities in advocating for an immediate and permanent ceasefire. We call on the administration to publicly call for an end to hostilities and violence in Gaza and to reaffirm its commitment to supporting student-led initiatives that promote peace and justice globally, including safeguarding students' freedom of speech and assembly. This involves continuing to actively support student initiatives and providing resources and platforms for students to engage in constructive discource and activism. As an institution built on the principles of mercy and harmony, it is our moral obligation to stand in solidarity with those who suffer and to actively strive for a more equitable and peaceful world, for all.

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In continuation of our commitment to transparency and the principles of Mercy, we kindly request that Salve Regina University disclose its direct and indirect involvement in arms manufacturing across its entire portfolio.

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Furthermore, we urge Salve to refrain from investing in defense-focused funds and funds with significant holdings (over 33 percent) in corporations whose weapons and military equipment have been implicated in attacks on Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria between October 2023 and January 2024, such list can be found at AFSC; T­h­e C­o­m­p­a­n­i­e­s P­r­o­f­i­t­i­n­g f­r­o­m I­s­r­a­e­l­’­s 2­0­2­3­-­2­0­2­4 A­t­t­a­c­k­s o­n G­a­z­a. These attacks have resulted in the destruction of 80% of schools, every university, tragic loss of over 34,000+ lives, and the destabilization of a whole region, contradicting the critical values of non-violence and the vision of a world that is harmonious, just and merciful.

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Lastly, we call upon the Board of Trustees to establish an independent committee comprising students, faculty, and staff to oversee the college's social responsibility in investments. Through the establishment of such a committee, we can ensure that our university's investments reflect the ethos of Mercy. A suitable framework for such responsible investment can be found through engagement with Mercy Investment Services aiming for an investment portfolio reflecting the five mercy critical concerns.

Finally, we encourage our Salve community to endorse these requests by signing the petition provided below and in the bio. May mercy, justice, and peace guide us, and may God inspire our hearts with steadfast faith as we work towards a world that is harmonious, just and merciful.