**Brown University Governing Board Rejects Divestment Proposal Amid Controversy** Brown University announced on Wednesday that its governing board has voted against a student-led proposal to divest from companies associated with Israeli military and security operations. This decision marks the first such vote in the Ivy League since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict a year ago, which has sparked widespread protests globally. The vote took place on Tuesday, following a surge in demands from pro-Palestinian students nationwide for universities to withdraw investments linked to Israel, particularly after the violent Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent military actions in Gaza that have resulted in significant Palestinian casualties. Brown's President Christina H. Paxson and Chancellor Brian Moynihan stated that the board rejected the proposal because the university's endowment does not have direct investments in the ten companies identified by protesters as contributing to the “Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.” They emphasized that the university could not be held accountable for social harm due to its minimal financial ties to these companies. Furthermore, they reiterated that Brown's mission is focused on knowledge and education, not on resolving international conflicts. The decision has drawn criticism from student activists. Rafi Ash, a junior involved with Brown Divest and Brown University Jews for Ceasefire Now, condemned the vote as a “moral failure,” accusing the university of complicity in what he termed genocide. This divestment proposal was the result of negotiations between student activists and university administration, making Brown one of the few institutions to bring such a matter to a vote. Prior to the decision, 24 Republican attorneys general warned the university of potential financial repercussions if it chose to divest, citing state laws against anti-Israel actions. While some universities have avoided addressing the issue altogether, Brown's engagement with protesters helped prevent the kind of unrest seen at other elite institutions, where police interventions led to numerous arrests. Dr. Paxson had previously opposed a divestment vote but altered her stance amid the heightened tensions following the recent conflict, leading to the dismantling of a protest encampment on campus. The divestment proposal was backed by a coalition of student groups, including Students for Justice in Palestine and Brown University Jews for Ceasefire Now, and aimed to withdraw investments from companies like Volvo, Boeing, and General Electric. In contrast, some students argued that the proposal unfairly targeted Israel and could be seen as antisemitic. They highlighted that pro-divestment groups had previously celebrated acts of violence against Israeli civilians. While a few institutions, such as San Francisco State University, have agreed to divest from certain arms manufacturers, Brown's decision reflects the complexities and divisions surrounding the issue of divestment in the current political climate.