It comes after concern raised by various student organisations about the university’s plans to create a master’s degree in digital communication course at their Queenstown campus in partnership with the company.
A university spokeswoman said yesterday ‘‘as previously indicated, the vice-chancellor Grant Robertson is working to complete the review as soon as possible’’.
‘‘The university recently released an ethical procurement policy, which covers those who supply goods and services to the university.
‘‘A companion ethical investment policy, which covers financial investments made by the university, is still being finalised and will be released as soon as possible.’’
At a special meeting yesterday at the university common room, representatives from Otago Staff for Palestine, Otago Students for Justice in Palestine and the Otago University Students’ Association called for the university to pull out of investment with Palo Alto due to the company’s perceived ties with the Israel Defence Force.
Senior lecturer Dr Olivier Jutel said the company was ‘‘vital in interweaving Israelis' national security and economic strategic objectives’’.
Dr Jutel had particular concerns about the company’s connection to the IDF’s Unit 8200, which specialises in infrastructure of cyber defence, cyber security, tech defence and AI in general — all of which have allegedly been used in the conflict in Gaza.
‘‘What unit 8200 does for Israel is the AI automation of surveillance and assassination.’’
Dr Jutel said he was not surprised the university had looked at Palo Alto as a potential partner.
‘‘Palo Alto Networks have [a] $130 billion valuation on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange ... There's nothing our government wouldn't do to attract these types of partners.
‘‘And listen, our university is a product of that pressure and that prestige that has come to bear.’’
Otago Students for Justice in Palestine spokeswoman Rosie Cruickshank said the university had made it very clear that it had no interest in ethical standards and ‘‘will do anything it can, no matter how bloody, to make a quick buck’’.
Miss Cruickshank said getting the university to ‘‘review’’ its planned partnership with Palo Alto was a ‘‘win’’ for student activism, but said more urgency was needed.
‘‘While, in some ways, this is a major win, it is also reminiscent of other lengthy review processes that have successfully dampened outrage while intentionally pulling along at snail's pace and producing no results.
‘‘Now is the time to intensify student dissent and not let it fall to the wayside.’’
OUSA political representative Flynn Nisbett said student union activism had been ‘‘dying’’ for a number of reasons, but there had been signs of life in campaigns such as the one against Palo Alto.
He urged students to be vigilant and not blindly accept the university doing ‘‘due dilligence’’.
Deputy vice-chancellor Prof Jessica Palmer was developing a set of guidelines for academic partnerships, a university spokeswoman said.
The development of these guidelines would include consultation with the university community.
‘‘We appreciate that some staff and students may have concerns with partnerships entered into by the university.
‘‘It is the nature of a university that there will be a diversity of views on any given partnership and as an institution, we need to continue to support our people to be able to express their views and play their part as critic and conscience of society, while also respecting academic freedom to teach and research, and ensuring we deliver quality and relevant programmes and courses.’’
