Whitman College Fossil Fuel Divestment Records
Scope and Contents
Minutes, Paper Documents, Ephemera
Dates
- Creation: 2013-2014
Creator
- Whitman College (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Biographical / Historical
The campaign to divest Whitman College’s endowment from fossil fuel investments began in 2013, led by student advocates affiliated with the Campus Climate Challenge. Inspired by national climate activism and Bill McKibben’s Eaarth, they organized a series of public actions, including a climate march, a mock-wedding protest in Memorial Hall, and direct advocacy with faculty and trustees. These efforts culminated in 2015 with near-unanimous faculty and student resolutions supporting divestment, including a student referendum that passed with 85% approval.
On November 9, 2018, the Whitman Board of Trustees voted unanimously to begin phasing out existing fossil fuel investments and to avoid future investments in funds containing companies listed on the Carbon Underground 200. The Board emphasized that this decision, while aligned with ethical and climate responsibility, also reflected their fiduciary oversight.
The Fossil Fuel Divestment records document how grassroots student activism, faculty engagement, and wider community involvement came together to confront institutional investment policies. This campaign provides an example of student-led advocacy impacting institutional governance and reflects Whitman’s evolving role in broader movements for sustainability, ethical stewardship, and climate justice.
Extent
0.25 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Whitman College Fossil Fuel Divestment is a political campaign waged by students, faculty, and alumni to convince the college to withdraw its endowment investments from the fossil fuel industry. Collection contains minutes, resolutions, posters and ephemera.
- Title
- Guide to Whitman College fossil fuel divestment records
- Author
- Erik Anderson
- Date
- 2014
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Revision Statements
- 10/24/2025: Biographical note written by Tenzin Zompa during summer 2025. References: Whitman College Fossil Fuel Divestment records, 2013–2014. (n.d.). Whitman College and Northwest Archives. Archives West. Retrieved July 28, 2025, from https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv48544 Antilla, A. (2018, November 9). Breaking: Board of Trustees vote to fully divest Whitman College from the fossil fuel industry. Whitman Wire. Retrieved from https://whitmanwire.com/news/2018/11/09/breaking-board-of-trustees-vote-to-fully-divest-whitman-college/ Whitman College. (2018, November 12). Whitman College begins process of divestment from fossil fuels. Whitman Stories. Retrieved from https://www.whitman.edu/whitman-stories/archive/2018/divestment Divest Whitman. (n.d.). About us. Retrieved July 28, 2025, from https://divestwhitman.org/index.php/about-us
Repository Details
Part of the Whitman College and Northwest Archives Repository