We have control over how our retirement investment funds are allocated, and we intend to leverage this control in order to divest from state violence. However, no funds currently exist that would allow us to do so. By amassing signatories on the pledge below, we can together persuade retirement investment providers to create a No State Violence fund.

This page is https://www.nostateviolence.org/. Share it to friends, lists, and social media. 

THE PLEDGE:

As a university employee, I oppose the investment of my retirement savings in companies involved in state violence. In response, I join my colleagues in pledging the following:

I will demand that my retirement investment provider create a financially sound No State Violence fund that excludes companies enabling military occupation and aggression, genocide, apartheid, prisons, border violence, and migrant surveillance and detention, including companies on the Weapon Free Funds list, the Prison Free Funds list, and the American Friends Service Committee BDS divestment shortlist.

I will commit to moving at least 10 percent of my retirement investments into a No State Violence fund, as soon as it is established in my plan.

I will take these actions because:  

1. The sum total of all retirement savings of US university employees is so large that it exceeds the sum total of all US university endowments;

2. All equity, balanced, and target-date funds available in US university defined-contribution retirement plans, even those marked as “responsible”, “social choice”, or “ESG”, include investments in companies profiting from state violence;

3. Most US university retirement funds are managed by only a few investment providers, including TIAA, Vanguard, Fidelity Investments, Corebridge Financial, Franklin Templeton, and Voya Financial, allowing for a more targeted campaign;

4. None of these providers currently offers any kind of No State Violence fund in its menu of retirement fund options.