STUDENTS AGAINST GENOCIDE MSU DEMANDS

1. ETHICS POLICY NOW!

2. NO GENOCIDE INVESTMENT ON THE INNOVATION CAMPUS!

3. TRANSPARENCY NOW!

Students Against Genocide are united in our demands for Montana State University (MSU). We are demanding change from the MSU University Council and MSU Alumni Foundation Innovation Campus Board. Our demands are as follows:

1: ETHICS POLICY NOW!

• We demand that the MSU administration publicly adopt and commit to an ethics policy covering MSU affiliated research with military technology. This ethics policy must include:

  • A commitment to not researching and developing technologies whose primary practical application is military activity, including surveillance, in civilian areas, regardless of if these technologies are to be developed for the United States military.

  • A commitment to not develop research ties with companies and institutions currently connected to Israel and other Nations, governing structures, companies, or other organizations that are committing genocide and/or war crimes.*

  • A commitment from the MSU University Council to examine MSU compliance with ethics standards for military research.

• We demand that the MSU administration publicly adopt and commit to partnering with the MSU Alumni Foundation to develop an ethics policy surrounding leasing space on the Innovation Campus.

  • The ethics policy must include that the Innovation Campus will not lease space to any companies and institutions currently connected to Israel and other Nations, governing structures, companies, or other organizations that are committing genocide and/or war crimes*.

• We demand that the MSU administration publicly adopt and commit to an ethics policy regarding receiving grant funding for research and University operations. MSU must clearly state that it is unacceptable to receive funding from any companies and institutions currently connected to Israel and other Nations and governing structures that are committing genocide and/or war crimes.

• The specific drafting of these ethics policies should take consideration and input from MSU students, faculty, and researchers. 

2: NO GENOCIDE INVESTMENT ON THE INNOVATION CAMPUS!

• MSU administration must actively work with the MSU Alumni Foundation to publicly commit to canceling the lease and tenant status of any companies and institutions currently connected to Israel and other Nations and governing structures that are committing genocide and/or war crimes.

• If the University is not capable of convincing the MSU Alumni Foundation of cancelling the lease of such companies and organizations, then the University must publicly commit to severing its research relationship with the Innovation Campus.

3: TRANSPARENCY NOW!

• We recognize the University is limited by the classified nature of research; however, we demand the university, to the greatest degree it is legally able, to disclose publicly its engagement in research regarding surveillance and offensive military capabilities. 

• We demand that MSU clearly and publicly compile a yearly online list of the sources of all grants that provide funding to research and campus operations.

• We demand that MSU work with the Innovation Campus to clearly and publicly compile a yearly online list of the companies and organizations that are leasing space in the Innovation Campus. 

We urge the university to publicly respond to these demands, and meet with student and community leaders. We urge all students and community members to join in protesting and organizing against university complicity and active participation in genocide and war crimes. 

*It should be known that there is poor, lax, and inconsistent enforcement and determination of what is considered to be an act of Genocide or a War Crime. We recognize this and therefore ask that the university's ethics policy include its own definitions of such, and empower the university to undergo its own investigation in cases where official bodies such as the UN have not made determinations. Secondly, we think it is clear that Israel has crossed this line and should be explicitly included in writing as an entity in violation of the university's ethics policy.