Word: acsr
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...committee is simply an extension of the Corporation, whose investment policy the ACSR has never substantially changed. Any progressive ideas - notably the divestment of deposits in banks loaning to the South African government and "intensive dialogue," designed to improve the human rights record of South Africa-related companies--come primarily as result of community activism...
...effect, the group has simply contributed to the implementation of the Corporation's predetermined investment policy, and advised it on relatively useless proxy votes. Last year, however, the group took a bold, independent step. In a 35-page, thoroughly researched report, the ACSR recommended that the Corporation completely divest, and received a flat rejection. It also recommended that Harvard impose a time limit for conducting dialogue, within which it would require companies to improve their South African operations. Harvard said no again...
...University has responses for all of these issues. And disregarding the arguments about complete divestment, it is clear that the aCSR has been nothing more than a lightning rod. It simply diverts attention from the Corporation, misleading the community by implying that public opinion may be heeded. Moreover, one year after the ACSR voted to recommend that the Corporation divest completely, this year's ACSR, more than half of whom are newly appointed, voted last week to deviate from its recent stance in three major ways, all of which limit its scope of influence...
THESE MOVES demonstrate clearly that the ACSR is not interested being a democratic body, representative of community concern. Members argue they are not directly accountable to faculty, student, and alumni groups, from which they are chosen in an undemocratic process controlled by President Bok. Moreover, these three recent decisions also indicate that some members were selected this year more for their interest in finance than for their concern about apartheid. In marked contrast to last year's vote for total divestment, this group has opted to devote itself only to intensive dialogue...
...history of the ACSR is complicated and controversial. But it is clear that concerned activists have relied upon the group as their only legitimate means of voicing opinions on investments. Harvard has benefited greatly from its existence, not because it helps form an ethnical policy, but because it provides a pseudo-representative forum of ideas which take heat off the corporation, diffusing criticism...