The petition, put forward by the OUSA’s political representative, Jett Groshinski, and supported by Otago University Staff for Palestine, comes after the student body decided not to proceed with a boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) policy for products associated with Israel’s conflict in Gaza earlier this month amid concerns about the cost and scope of the policy.
The matter will be debated at a special general meeting of the OUSA executive on Thursday.
Staff for Palestine spokeswoman Dr Fairleigh Gilmour said the decision to abandon BDS was undemocratic and also appeared to be deeply uninformed.
"The executive’s ignorance surrounding both the costs of enacting BDS and the procedures required for adherence to BDS principles is the result of the executive’s egregious failure to consult with relevant organisations."
Dr Gilmour said the executive’s claim adherence to BDS required the hiring of new staff and the dumping of massive amounts of electronic equipment was pure fantasy.
"In reality, the OUSA executive simply failed to do their due diligence."
Earlier this year, the OUSA did not allow Domino’s Pizza to sell at "Tent City" during O Week as a result of the BDS policy.
An OUSA survey in May revealed 53.5% of respondents believed the OUSA should adopt a policy for its operations that aligned with the "Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions" movement against the government of Israel.
"The students of the University of Otago deserve to choose whether their money is spent on companies complicit in war crimes," Dr Gilmour said.
The petition proposed a "where-we-can" approach to BDS, applying it to procurement and investment wherever viable.
OUSA president Liam White said the executive investigated BDS in principle and made procurement decisions in line with this stance.
"Subsequent discussions highlighted concerns about the potential financial impact of a strict ‘all-out’ policy.
"Engagement with students and the local Palestine Solidarity Network has since clarified that a moderate, pragmatic approach can uphold OUSA executive values while protecting the association’s operations."
Mr White said the OUSA had agreed to review its position in light of the petition, which "we believe reflects a balanced path forward".
