U of M Regents decline to divest from Israeli holdings

if you're loving this podcast be sure to check out the full lineup from news and local politics to sports and True Crime find your next great listen right now at Deluth newstribune.com podcasts that's Deluth newstribune.com podcast hello northlanders it's Wednesday August 28th I'm white Buckner of the duth News Tribune minute presented by Minnesota Power employees credit union the average mpcu member saves over $785 a year in better rates and lower fees and with mpcu every ATM is your ATM with their free checking program you get ATM fee reimbursements at any ATM anywhere in the US check out Minnesota Power employees credit union services online at mcu.com or visit their offices in downtown duth Arrowhead Road or Miller trunk Highway now here's a look at today's headlines in a decisive 8 to1 vote Tuesday Morning the University of Minnesota's Board of regions chose not to divest from its financial investments in Israel and instead adopted a position of institutional neutrality board chair Janie Mayon introduced the resolution which was subsequently presented by University president Rebecca Cunningham Regent Robin Gully cast the sole descending vote while the Regents Ruth Johnson bothal urab and Mary Turner were absent citing the board's mission to maximize investment returns and the state of Minnesota's prohibition on Contracting with entities that discriminate against Israel the resolution explains of the decision at stake is $2.7 million which the UFM has invested in 33 Israeli based companies these Holdings represent just 0.1% of the University's $ 2.27 billion endowment fund this information was made publicly available as part of a compromise in May between the divest coalition and the university the Coalition comprising University students has been advocating for the UFM to sever its ties with companies linked to Israel accusing them of complicity in alleged genocide against Palestinians their Campaign which included significant campus protests aimed to compel the university to align more closely with Pro Palestinian advocacy in April demonstrators marched through the twin Ci's campus and set up a high-profile encampment at northr mall prompting the temporary closure of nearby buildings as you have M administrators negotiated with the protesters as the meeting closed protests from around 30 students join in chance one shouted quote you're guilty shame end quote the resolution adopted by the board emphasizes a position of neutrality regarding Investments directing the university to continue making financial decisions based on established criteria the document emphasizes that Tuesday's vote does not negate past decisions to divest from fossil fuel companies and from Sudan or the DAR for genocide the resolution also included a recommendation to streamline future divestment requests emphasizing that only Investments deemed quote fundamentally incompatible end quote with UFM values and met with broad consensus from the university community would be considered for divestment in anticipation of further student protest this fall Cunningham outlined a plan for spontaneous Civic engagement based on pre-existing policy protest sizes are capped at 100 participants with limits on the sizes of posters banners and flyers used by protesters there is a 10 p.m. curfew on protest activity and participants must produce their IDs upon request by University officials or police Additionally the policy bans tents and other structures or displays a long running lawsuit over the future of downtown Del's Pastor Terrace building appears to be nearing a resolution attorneys indicated in recent court filings that they have reached a binding settlement agreement after participating in mediation related to the former cozy bar and apartment's property but officials remain tight LIF about the specifics of the Accord siding an agreement to keep the details confidential until they jointly prepare a news release outlining the settlement at an unspecified date the parties are also seeking to file the agreement and supporting paperwork under seal ahead of an October 15th hearing at which judge Eric hen will be asked to formally order enforcement of the settlement City officials declined further comment this week while an attorney for the plaintiff did not respond to a message from the News Tribune the building designed by renowned architect protect alliver traffic in and constructed in 1887 as luxury Town Homes at the corner of First Street and 2 Avenue East has sat in disrepair since the first in a series of major fires dating back to 2010 then owner Eric Rings R who has often been at odds with City ministrators lacked fire insurance and subsequently lost the pastor and adjoining Paul Robison Ballroom to tax forfeiture it was then purchased by The duth Economic Development Authority which sought proposals to redevelop the property but ultimately rejected a handful of interested parties prompting the lawsuit from ringsred and a group known as respect Starts Here the pastor is listed as a contributing structure to a historic district giving it protection under the Minnesota environmental Rights Act Howen initially ruled Ida's favor in 2019 saying there was no viable path forward to save The Condemned structure but a three-judge panel of the Minnesota court of appeals later overturned that ruling saying the decision cannot be made on financial considerations alone that order has left the property in legal limbo for the past 4 years following the direction of the higher Court Howden ordered daa to erect an exterior bracing system to prevent an outward collapse of the building's facade the duth city council met in closed session July 25th to discuss the matter as did daa on August 5th but no formal action was taken now here's a look your forecast brought to the news Tribune's North landia podcast here's the forecast for the duth area on this Wednesday a bit of patchy fog is possible to start off today but otherwise skies are looking mostly Sunny with Breezy winds gusting up to 25 to 30 mph heading into Wednesday night clouds will be gradually increasing as lows cool back into the upper 50s as a cold front then swings into the region we will see showers and perhaps a few thunder showers then on Thursday and Thursday night Breezy conditions then continue into the weekend but we at least look mainly sunny and otherwise quiet making for a great holiday weekend I'm storm tracker meteorologist Robert daily thank you to the north landia podcast for their support the biweekly podcast explores curious and unique stories here in the Northland the latest episode explores the long abandoned property home to over 1,000 vared pets you can find that episode and others at alth newstribune.com or if we also get this podcast reporting for today's episode was done by cave AG Gupta and Tom Olen thank you for listening to the Luth News Tribune minute have a great day and we'll see you back here tomorrow