Learning Objectives: Implement a tobacco divestment campaign on a college campus. Demonstrate the tobacco industry's global harm to workers, the environment, and public health. Explain the role of tobacco divestment in a comprehensive college tobacco control strategy.
Abstract: The fight against corporate globalization is by far the most powerful student movement on campuses today, and the global harm done by tobacco companies makes the industry a prime target for this movement.
The power of students to fight the global industry comes from their influence over how their universities invest endowments, foundation money, and other funds. During the South African apartheid era students demanded their schools sell stocks in companies doing business there. The campus-based divestment movement helped end apartheid in South Africa. Likewise today, students have started to demand that schools stop investing in the tobacco industry.
Divestment has been widespread, with over a dozen schools divesting, including: the Universities of Michigan and Washington, Stanford University, Harvard University, Smith College, and most recently the University of California (UC). Now, students at other California schools are demanding divestment.
Like the UC campaign, the movements at San Diego State, Humboldt State, and other campuses around California are broad-based and student driven. Students who have come together on the campaign, including environmental organizations, cultural groups, and pre-medical groups, have often never worked on tobacco control before.
The students are assisted by Campaign staff and the Campaign website (www.bigtobaccosucks.org), who provide technical assistance and organizing advice to student leaders. This workshop will give participants the tools they need to nurture student divestment movements on their campuses as well.
Students who are currently working on divestment campaigns will share their experiences. They will explain how and why they got involved in the tobacco divestment movement. And they will share the skills needed to successfully pursue tobacco divestment.
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Back to The 2002 National Conference on Tobacco or Health