Amid scenes of celebration and scores of Palestinian flags, members of a 14-day-old pro-Palestinian encampment at Oshawa’s Ontario Tech University declared victory Monday after they secured a deal with the administration that will disclose all university investments.
Waddah Saleh, the student who has been the lead spokesperson for the encampment, said “the university agreed to disclose all investments in a couple of weeks and to disclose all investments in companies that are found to be involved in the ongoing genocide in Gaza and other wars no later than November 2024.”
A copy of the final signed agreement between pro-Palestinian encampment members at Ontario Tech and the president of the university lists the points agreed to by the sides May 19 that ended the two-week standoff. It agreed to disclose Ontario Tech investments, help provide equal access to education to Palestinian or similarily displaced students, and not punish anyone involved in the encampment.
Part 2 of the encampment deal with Ontario Tech administration reached late May 19 shows the signature of Ontario Tech president Dr. Steven Murphy and that no further encampment is to return to the university before May 2025 as a condition of the deal.
This Notice Prohibiting Entry to Durham College/Ontario Tech University under the Trespass to Property Act was given to the members of the encampent on May 9.
Jen Rinaldi, an associate professor at Ontario Tech, who represented the faculty assocation on Monday at the pro-Palestinian encampment and was one of 30 faculty who signed a letter of support for the encampment that was sent to the administration, said “I’m proud of the faculty members who stood with you, I hope you feel supported.”