More than a hundred people gathered on campus at the University of Montana Wednesday to protest the ongoing war in Gaza.
Demonstrators chanted and held signs urging the U.S. to stop sending military equipment to Israel, and demanded that the University of Montana “disclose and divest.” That phrase echoes protesters at other schools around the country who want their universities to cut investments that support Israel in its war in Gaza.
Rally organizer Linnea is a graduate student at UM and says seeing other student protests spurred action here. She asked that MTPR withhold her last name because she fears retaliation.
“Today, we’re here to say that we will not accept business as usual when there is an ongoing genocide,” Linnea said. “We cannot accept that as a reality.”
UM spokesperson Dave Kuntz told MTPR all dollars from tuition and state funding pay for the university’s “academic mission.” The separate, nonprofit UM Foundation manages an endowment portfolio to support fundraising efforts at the university.
Linnea and another rally organizer said they haven’t directly approached the UM Foundation with their request for investment transparency.
The foundation’s board of trustees issued a statement outlining their investment goals, which include, “seeking to generate the highest level of returns to support the mission of the University of Montana.” The board said their portfolio has no “direct” investments with weapons manufacturers.
Foundation Communications Director Elizabeth Willy didn’t expand on that statement when asked by MTPR.
