The university called for the meeting.

“We had sent an agenda explicitly saying the topic at hand will be divestment since the meeting was called, following up and to check in about our encampment,” Saba Saed, a student activist with the Hurriya Coalition, said. “Within the meeting, it seemed as if the purpose of the meeting changed to the support of Middle Eastern North African students, which was not what the agenda was on.”

Saed said the group tried to shift the topic toward divestment. 

“When the topic came up, (administrators) answered us, basically telling us we don’t know what we are talking about,” Saed said. “They were not prepared or interested in discussing the topic.”

MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant said the university's position has not changed regarding divestment. 

"On Friday this past week, the president sent them an email that indicated he'd be happy to listen to their concerns and their thoughts," Guerrant told The State News.

There was some disagreement over the Israeli bond the university is invested in, Jesse Estrada White, a student activist with the Hurriya Coalition, said.

As of June 30, 2023, MSU has $218.1 million invested in three BlackRock funds: BlackRock Emerging Companies, BlackRock Strategic and BlackRock Systematic China Absolute Return, according to the MSU list of investments.

Advocates for divestment argue that those investments, alongside an additional $363.8 million invested in BNY Mellon, are funding weapons manufacturers involved in the Israel-Hamas war.

Additionally, MSU has $236,114 invested in Israeli aid as well as $479,006 invested in weapons manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

“That meeting that just took place was, by our count, our ninth meeting with an administrator or board member that is focused on divestment or the investment portfolio in any capacity,” Estrada White said.

The coalition requested the presence of Chair of Committee on Budget and Finance Sandy Pierce, Chief Financial Officer of Treasury and Financial Management Lisa Frace and Assistant Vice President of Treasury and Financial Management Jeff Rayis, all of whom did not attend.

“Within the meeting, we once again had asked, 'What is the purpose of this meeting?'” student activist Ateeyah Abdul- Wasi said. “It seems that it was supposed to be just a continuation of what (Guskiewicz) says is his sort of 'listening and learning tour.'”

Guskiewicz's listening and learning tour has taken place ever since he was named president in December, involving meetings with many student organizations, faculty and staff early in his tenure to help inform his decisions.

"This is the type of culture that he wants at MSU, that we all want, is that you can have hard conversations where maybe you don't agree with each other but you can have them in a respectful manner and listen to each other," Guerrant said. "And that's the importance of what was happening today."

Estrada White said he was unsatisfied with the administration's attempt to have such conversations. 

“There was zero movement in this meeting other than just more talks,” Estrada White said. “While we welcome more discussion on the investment portfolio, because, obviously, the administration needs to talk about this more, they clearly are not well-informed on it. We do not take that as the end of this movement.”

Financial experts say the complex web of outside asset managers and contractually-bound investments put the university in a bind, without much control over its own endowment.

“MSU has advisors to the investment portfolio, but they are not the ultimate decision-makers on it,” Estrada White said. “When they actually make big investment changes, that has to be approved, one, by the investment advisory subcommittee, but also by the Board of Trustees as a fiduciary.”

Even though the group said there was not much progress made in MSU divesting from Israel in the meeting, the coalition does not have any doubt that it will continue to have support from the community, Saed said.

“Divesting and using those investments to invest in our local businesses and our local community, we boost our own local economy,” Saed said. “The impact would be far more positive and impactful to the Spartan community and the East Lansing community.”