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Harvard Students Stage Sit-In For Fossil Fuel Divestment

Students asking that Harvard University divest its endowment from fossil fuels have taken over the offices of President Drew Faust.

The students say Harvard has a responsibility to address climate change.

As of Thursday afternoon, more than 30 Harvard students were in the building that houses Faust's office. Faust was not in her office when the students took over Thursday morning.

A spokesman for Faust says she has agreed to meet them, provided they leave the building, but the students say they are not leaving.

"The impacts of the fossil fuel industry are going to be harming our future way more than the need for money, really," said Annie Schugart, one of the students in the group called Divest Harvard. "We have such a large endowment. We will be sustainable without investing in fossil fuels."

The students are asking Harvard to divest from the top 200 fossil fuel companies. Harvard has the nation's largest university endowment, with about $36 billion.

Currently, 19 U.S. colleges and universities have committed to shedding their investments in some fossil fuels.

The Harvard students say they have food, water and diapers, and are prepared to stay.

This segment aired on February 12, 2015. The audio for this segment is not available.

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Fred Thys Reporter
Fred Thys reported on politics and higher education for WBUR.

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