To: UCF Foundation Chair Brian Butler

As students and alumni of the University of Central Florida (UCF), we are deeply affected by the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Since October 7th, more than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed, over 75,000 injured, and more than 7,000 are missing. This devastating assault has been confirmed to meet the definition of ethnic cleansing and genocide by genocide experts.

The University of Central Florida is complicit in these crimes by their continuous relationship with organizations directly involved in the mass killings of the Palestinian people. Students and Alums stand together in demanding that the University of Central Florida Foundation

1. Disclose: UCF must waive its exemption from disclosing financial contributions to the state for its non-profit sector, UCF Foundation, inc., and all campus partnerships.

2. Divest: UCF must pull out of partnerships with corporations building weapons for, funding, or supporting the genocide of Palestinians and other human rights violations globally, including but not limited to Congo, Sudan, Haiti, and Tigray. These companies include but are not limited to Lockheed Martin, Northrop-Grumman, L3Harris, and Siemens.

3. Student Oversight: UCF must expand the role its students play in making decisions regarding partnerships, investments, and sponsorship by creating a Student Oversight Committee for the UCF Foundation Inc. Board of Directors that would review partnerships, investments, and how the school is choosing to allocate funds.

4. Decolonization: UCF must sever all ties with organizations directly funding the colonization of Palestine via birthright trips, study abroad in Israel, and ties to real estate companies developing on stolen Palestinian land.

Every hour that passes results in the loss of 15 lives - six being children. Additionally, every hour sees an average of 35 people injured, with an alarming rate of destruction as evidenced by approximately 42 bombs dropped and twelve buildings destroyed- using weapons from manufacturers UCF directly partners with. We condemn UCF's willingness to be complicit in genocide and illegal war crimes committed by Israel. 

The threat that Israel sees to justify their war crimes: innocent Palestinian children. The average age in Gaza is 18 years old because of the continuous torture and onslaught of the Palestinian people since their occupation in 1948.

This onslaught has been continuous for the last 7 months. On May 5, 1.6 million refugees including 610,000 children were told to evacuate Rafah, the last designated “safe zone”. They were told to move to locations uninhabitable for human life. The Rafah and Karm Abu Salem crossings, the only area that allowed for humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, have been closed. 

Less than 24 hours later, with no time for civilians to evacuate, Israel began carpet bombing Rafah. Israel, with UCF's help, is bombing, starving, and torturing the people of Palestine for greed and profit. UCF is known for their partnerships with organizations such as Lockheed Martin, often encouraging students to intern and work for Lockheed Martin. Students who eventually go into the weapons sector, helping this organization produce weapons responsible for killing millions.

These are not just numbers- they are people with hopes, dreams, friends, and families. We cannot stand idle while this humanitarian crisis unfolds. We demand that UCF Foundation Chair Brian Butler make the call to divest from any organization or entity that supports or conducts business with Israel, including Lockheed Martin, Northrop-Grumman, L3Harris, and Siemens until it respects international law and human rights norms.

This is not just about politics; this is about human lives - our fellow humans who are suffering immensely under these conditions. Palestinians deserve the right to live peacefully on their own land. Ceasefire now. End the Occupation. Free Palestine.

Join the UCF Divest Coalition in urging UCF to take a stand against these atrocities by signing this petition today!