About the Fund
Introduction
How can universities take an effective stand with respect to Darfur and the actions of the Sudanese Khartoum regime? Prompted in large measure by STAND (A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition, the national student movement on ending genocide in Darfur), trustees, faculty, students and administrators across the country have actively discussed this question, including the possibility of divestment. At the University of Chicago, the preponderant view emerging from these wide-ranging discussions is that the University should contribute through means that comport with the mission of the University – open and free inquiry in the creation and dissemination of knowledge.
About the Fund
To stimulate a greater understanding of the conflict in Sudan and of human rights more generally, President Zimmer - with the strong personal support of the Chair of the Board of Trustees - has established a fund (“The Darfur Action and Education Fund”) initially in the amount of $200,000 to support faculty and student work and activities on these issues. The Darfur Action and Education Fund is intended to encourage creative and entrepreneurial thinking about University-based activities that will broaden knowledge and help prepare our students and the University community – through real world experiences and scholarly work – to advance human rights and the well-being of people around the world.
The Provost’s Office will administer this fund through the Committee for the Darfur Action and Education Fund, consisting of W. Clark Gilpin, Professor in the Divinity School; Susan Gzesh, Director of the Human Rights Program, International Studies Center; Daniel Kimerling, a BA/MA candidate in Political Science and International Relations; Aliza Levine, an undergraduate and co-Chair of STAND; Keith Moffat (chair), Deputy Provost for Research; and Sally Sadoff, a graduate student in Economics, active in Darfur issues.
The Committee can be contacted by email: fundfordarfur@uchicago.edu.
Self-nominations are solicited for student members of the Committee of the Fund for Darfur. These should be sent as an e-mail to the Committee by Monday May 21. The e-mail should include your name, address and contact information, status at the University (undergrad, grad, major, year....), and a paragraph that explains why you wish to serve on the Committee and what background and qualifications you would bring to that role.
Student and faculty Committee members review proposals and attend three or four Committee meetings of 1 - 2 hours in each round of proposal submissions, and contribute to other aspects of Committee business such as further development of our criteria for review.