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Review of Proposal to Divest from Fossil Fuels

The Board of Trustees reconvened the Public Interest Investment Advisory Committee (PIIAC) in 2014 after adopting a revised statement on investment responsibility regarding separately invested endowment funds. PIIAC, comprised of students, faculty, and staff from across Johns Hopkins University, is charged with accepting and analyzing proposals from any member of the JHU community with serious social concerns related to these funds. If appropriate, PIIAC will then make recommendations to the Board of Trustees regarding the proposal.

In December 2015, PIIAC received a proposal from the student group, Refuel Our Future, calling on the university to divest its endowment from fossil fuel companies. After researching and analyzing the questions raised, PIIAC submitted its recommendations in September 2017. The recommendations were also published online to collect feedback from the university community.

The proposal from Refuel Our Future, PIIAC’s report, and the community feedback were shared with a subcommittee of the Board of Trustees’ Committee on Investments. In line with PIIAC’s governing guidelines, members of PIIAC also consulted with this subcommittee regarding its report.

Following months of deliberations, the Board of Trustees voted in December 2017 to direct the university to divest its separately managed holdings from companies that produce coal for electric power as a major part of their business.

Please click here to read the complete response from the Committee on Investments to members of PIIAC, which provides additional details and analysis about the Board’s decision.

PIIAC Meeting Minutes

Minutes of August 25, 2017 Meeting
Minutes of August 9, 2017 Meeting
Minutes of August 1, 2017 Meeting
Minutes of June 9, 2017 Meeting
Minutes of May 16, 2017 Meeting
Minutes of April 5, 2017 Meeting
Minutes of March 20, 2017 Meeting
Minutes of February 7, 2017 Meeting
Minutes of December 7, 2016 Meeting
Minutes of December 2, 2016 Meeting

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