This is it– Investment Responsibility at Duke

This Wednesday, Duke’s Advisory Committee on Investment Responsibility (ACIR) is meeting to review our proposed proxy voting guideline on conflict minerals. It will be the culmination of a six month push for a change in our investment strategy at Duke, and the first time in five years that the committee has met at all to review a request. The proxy voting guideline asks Duke, as a shareholder in a vast array of companies, to vote in favor of shareholder resolutions asking for increased transparency and conflict-free initiatives. It’s a symbolic first step, and it’s something that will show Duke’s commitment at the highest level to stopping human rights abuses in the Congo.

Why the Stakes Are So High

If the resolution passes, Duke will become the second university in the country to pass an investment resolution on conflict minerals (following Stanford in 2010) and the first university to move from an official university statement (which we passed in October) to an investment resolution. And since it’s the first time the ACIR has met since 2007, it means a lot in terms of getting the ball rolling for other investment responsibility initiatives on campus.

Show Your Support

After hearing from experts on the issue all day, the ACIR will be hosting a public forum on conflict minerals for students to voice their support. The public forum will be from 6:00-7:30 PM in Von Canon A, and will be open to all students, faculty, or anyone else wishing to attend. Check out our Facebook event here. We need to fill the room and show the ACIR that students really care about the issue of conflict minerals and human rights in the Congo.