Tutu Confers With Stanford, UC Presidents
University of California President David P. Gardner and Stanford University President Donald Kennedy--who both face student protests against university investments in firms that do business in South Africa--met privately with anti-apartheid leader Anglican Bishop Desmond Tutu at the university officials’ request, it was disclosed Friday.
In a prepared statement released by UC and Stanford, the officials said the Thursday meeting was kept private by “mutual consent.”
“It was arranged for the purpose of discussing issues of common interest regarding the Republic of South Africa,” the statement said. “Neither President Gardner nor President Kennedy will have any further comment on the content of the meeting.”
Both the Stanford Board of Trustees and the UC Board of Regents are expected to take up the issue of divestment at meetings next week. Students at both campuses have demonstrated to urge the universities to withdraw investments from firms that do business in South Africa.
“It would be safe to say that divestment was one of the issues that came up,” said a university official who asked not to be identified. A Stanford spokeswoman quoted Kennedy as saying that he found Tutu’s views “very helpful.”
The black bishop, who arrived in California Wednesday, has lauded students for their protests.
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