Open Letter to the Principal

"Dear Professor Sir Muscatelli, 

We write to you today with a clear and urgent message from the University of Glasgow’s student body: it is far past the time to divest from the arms industry.  

The results of the recent SRC Referendum on UofG Arms Divestment have demonstrated overwhelming student support for the University to cease investments in companies that derive more than 10% of their revenue from the arms and defence sector. The record-high turnout demonstrates the significance and urgency of this issue to students, and it is now imperative that the University listens and acts promptly and decisively.  

The motion passed with 89.3% of votes in favour - 8,668 students voted YES to divestment, with 9,706 students casting their votes. This turnout is significantly higher than any other student-motivated matter in recent memory, including the 2024 Rector election, and with more than 5 times the student participation observed in the SRI Consultation from the University. 

For years, students have repeatedly called upon the University to align its investment practices with its stated values of peace, social responsibility, and global justice. Despite ongoing advocacy and clear ethical arguments, the University has continued to disregard the student voice and invest in companies that profit from conflict, militarisation, and human suffering, including through the recent refusal to call for an extraordinary meeting of Court. This is a direct contradiction to the institution’s commitment to ethical leadership and sustainability. 

This referendum result does not exist in isolation. It is part of a wider and growing movement on the University’s campuses, reflecting deep frustration and moral outrage among students. The University has failed to create a welcoming and encouraging environment by refusing to listen to student voice, to the extent that students feel the need to put themselves at serious risk to make change. In recent months, students have organised peaceful protests, an encampment, and even a hunger strike, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to divestment.  

The University’s current approach to its Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) policy is wholly insufficient and does not reflect the ethical concerns raised by students, staff, and wider society through direct consultation by the University. Continuing to fund the industry whilst publicly championing values of equity, justice, and sustainability is both hypocritical and unacceptable. It is time for action, not just rhetoric. 

The financial argument for retaining these investments does not hold up against the moral imperative to divest, of which students are continuously reminding the University. Ethical investment is not just a symbolic gesture - it is a meaningful approach that demonstrates the University’s commitment to fostering a more just and peaceful world. Other institutions have already taken steps to divest from the arms trade, demonstrating that it is both a viable and responsible course of action. The University of Glasgow must now listen to its students and do the same. 

We call upon the University to take the following immediate actions: 

1. Commit to full divestment from the arms industry – The University must end all investments in companies that earn more than 10% of their revenue from the arms and defence industry. 

1. Revise the SRI policy – The policy must be updated to explicitly exclude arms companies and ensure that future investments align with ethical and social justice principles. 

1. Engage in meaningful dialogue with students and staff – We urge the University to meet with the SRC Executive to discuss a clear and transparent timeline for divestment, ensuring accountability and action. 

The student body has spoken loudly and unequivocally. The SRC has consistently represented this stance for over a decade, and now, with an overwhelming democratic mandate, we demand that the University respect the will of its students. The time for hesitation and half-measures has passed. The University of Glasgow must now take a stand and lead by example. 

We look forward to your urgent response and to working together to ensure that the University upholds its principles and listens to its students." 

Signed, 

Pablo Morán Ruiz - GUSRC President 2024/25 
Angelica Wilson - GUSRC VP Student Activities 2024/25 
Iris Duane - GUSRC VP Student Support 2024/25 
Heriberto Busquier Cerdán - GUSRC VP Education 2024/25