Portland State University Pauses Boeing Donations Amid Student Protests Over Gaza War Ties

Portland State University (PSU) has announced that it will temporarily pause accepting donations from Boeing after students protested the company's $150,000 gift to the university, citing Boeing's ties to the defense industry and the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The decision comes as campus protests against U.S. colleges' complicity in Israel's war on Gaza have intensified nationwide.

Dozens of PSU students, faculty, and staff demanded that the university permanently cut ties with Boeing, call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, eliminate public safety officers, and stop selling Israeli products on campus. The protesters occupied the entrance of the university's Millar Library for three consecutive days, with around 200 people gathering on Monday evening. Messages were spray-painted on the library's windows and camping structures were built on the library steps.

PSU President Ann Cudd initially questioned the decision to cut ties with Boeing but later agreed to pause accepting gifts from the company due to the concerns raised by the protesters. The university will hold a moderated forum in May to discuss Boeing's involvement with PSU and whether the pause on donations will become permanent.

Why this matters: The protests at PSU are part of a broader wave of demonstrations at over a dozen U.S. college campuses regarding the war in Gaza. Students across the country have been calling on their universities to divest from arms manufacturers like Boeing that are profiting from Israel's U.S.-backed war on Gaza.

Similar protests have occurred at other universities, including the University of Washington, Lewis & Clark College, the University of Oregon, and Reed College. The most prominent demonstration has been at Columbia University in New York City, where over 100 protesters were arrested earlier this month.

President Cudd defended PSU's relationship with Boeing, stating that it aligns with the institution's educational objectives and that student engagement with the company is voluntary. However, students have raised concerns about Boeing's global role, including its involvement in funding the U.S. border apparatus, supplying military equipment to the Philippine government, and its planes being used in what they called the "genocidal assault" in Palestine. The university's response to the protests is seen as one of the first from a major institution to distance itself from a weapons manufacturer amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

Key Takeaways

• PSU pauses Boeing donations after student protests over defense ties
• Protesters demand PSU cut Boeing ties, end support for Israel's war on Gaza
• PSU president initially defended Boeing relationship but agreed to pause donations
• Protests at PSU part of broader wave at US colleges against arms manufacturers
• University to hold forum to discuss Boeing's involvement and potential permanent pause