Official Notice to Stanford University posted on the door of the Administration Building. Photo Credit: Kevin Hsu, Fossil Free Stanford
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 19, 2025
Contact: Michael Peñuelas, Fossil Free Stanford // +1-206-218-4345 // [email protected]
100+ Student Sit-In at Stanford University Enters 4th Day as Students Await Meaningful Action by Administration on Fossil Fuel Divestment
Palo Alto, CA -- Today marks Day 4 of an on-going sit-in on the Stanford University campus as students protest their University’s continued investments in the world’s largest fossil fuel companies. 104 students have been surrounding the offices of the President and Provost since they were refused entry midday on Monday Nov.16. The administrative building was evacuated on Monday and has been locked since.
The following day, the administration issued a written warning that students were in violation of the university’s Fundamental Standard and rules for proper use of the main quad. The “Official Notice from Stanford University” said, “In order to comply with university policy, you must leave the Main Quad with your belongings and the university is instructing you to do so.”
Students participating in the sit-in delivered a response, stating: “In order to comply with Stanford University’s mission and Fundamental Standard, you must divest from the rest of the fossil fuel industry. The student body and Stanford community are instructing you to do so.” Though President Hennessy was not present to receive the message, so students read it aloud (video) to Chris Griffiths, Dean of Students, and posted it on the door of the Administration building.
Throughout the sit-in, students, alumni, faculty members, and other University employees, including the Executive Director and President of the Stanford workers union (Local 2007) and representatives of the Student Health Center, have visited the sit-in to give food and support to the protesters. Each day, more than a dozen professors have been leading teach-ins on topics from the Politics of Carbon Accounting, to Black Lives Matter and Student Activism, to Antigone and Social Dissent, to Bible Study on Civil Disobedience. Student groups such as the Stanford Collaborative Orchestra, Stanford University Singers, and the Structured Liberal Education Program also visited.
“This sit-in has not only has been a great opportunity for movement building, it’s also been an incredible educational experience in its own right. I’ve personally had many fantastic conversations about various possible forms of climate and energy action, innovation, and policy with students and faculty. It’s an energized, solutions-oriented environment that I’m very excited to be a part of,” said Annie Osborn, a Masters student and an organizer with Fossil Free Stanford.
Students remain committed to sitting outside the President’s office until the administration takes action on divesting Stanford’s endowment from the top 100 publicly oil and gas companies, based on carbon content of proven reserves.
The launch of this sit-in comes after three years of intense pressure from the Stanford community. The undergraduate student body, undergraduate senate, and graduate student council have all passed resolutions in support of full fossil fuel divestment. In October, the student body President and Vice President repeated their collective call, and 381 Stanford Faculty members have signed an open letter demanding oil and gas divestment. The campaign has met regularly since the end of 2012 with the Office of the President and the University’s Advisory Panel on Investment Responsibility and Licensing (APIR-L), which is charged with upholding Stanford’s policy on investment responsibility.
In addition to warning students of potential disciplinary review by the Office of Community Standards, the administration threatened students that they could be charged with criminal trespass. The warning read, “Your actions have prevented the usual conduct of university matters in Building 10, which includes the office of the President and Provost among others.”
Protesters have not prevented administrators from entering or exiting any buildings. Protesters have also not entered Building 10.
The students sitting in are still hoping to schedule an open meeting with Stanford’s President Hennessy.
Fossil Free Stanford still no plan to leave the building, and will be joined by alumni, faculty, and community members throughout the coming days.
###
Find photos for download and use, credited to: “Dean Chahim, Fossil Free Stanford,” at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fossilfreestanford.
Visit www.fossilfreestanford.org for more details on the history of the campaign.
November 19, 2025
Contact: Michael Peñuelas, Fossil Free Stanford // +1-206-218-4345 // [email protected]
100+ Student Sit-In at Stanford University Enters 4th Day as Students Await Meaningful Action by Administration on Fossil Fuel Divestment
Palo Alto, CA -- Today marks Day 4 of an on-going sit-in on the Stanford University campus as students protest their University’s continued investments in the world’s largest fossil fuel companies. 104 students have been surrounding the offices of the President and Provost since they were refused entry midday on Monday Nov.16. The administrative building was evacuated on Monday and has been locked since.
The following day, the administration issued a written warning that students were in violation of the university’s Fundamental Standard and rules for proper use of the main quad. The “Official Notice from Stanford University” said, “In order to comply with university policy, you must leave the Main Quad with your belongings and the university is instructing you to do so.”
Students participating in the sit-in delivered a response, stating: “In order to comply with Stanford University’s mission and Fundamental Standard, you must divest from the rest of the fossil fuel industry. The student body and Stanford community are instructing you to do so.” Though President Hennessy was not present to receive the message, so students read it aloud (video) to Chris Griffiths, Dean of Students, and posted it on the door of the Administration building.
Throughout the sit-in, students, alumni, faculty members, and other University employees, including the Executive Director and President of the Stanford workers union (Local 2007) and representatives of the Student Health Center, have visited the sit-in to give food and support to the protesters. Each day, more than a dozen professors have been leading teach-ins on topics from the Politics of Carbon Accounting, to Black Lives Matter and Student Activism, to Antigone and Social Dissent, to Bible Study on Civil Disobedience. Student groups such as the Stanford Collaborative Orchestra, Stanford University Singers, and the Structured Liberal Education Program also visited.
“This sit-in has not only has been a great opportunity for movement building, it’s also been an incredible educational experience in its own right. I’ve personally had many fantastic conversations about various possible forms of climate and energy action, innovation, and policy with students and faculty. It’s an energized, solutions-oriented environment that I’m very excited to be a part of,” said Annie Osborn, a Masters student and an organizer with Fossil Free Stanford.
Students remain committed to sitting outside the President’s office until the administration takes action on divesting Stanford’s endowment from the top 100 publicly oil and gas companies, based on carbon content of proven reserves.
The launch of this sit-in comes after three years of intense pressure from the Stanford community. The undergraduate student body, undergraduate senate, and graduate student council have all passed resolutions in support of full fossil fuel divestment. In October, the student body President and Vice President repeated their collective call, and 381 Stanford Faculty members have signed an open letter demanding oil and gas divestment. The campaign has met regularly since the end of 2012 with the Office of the President and the University’s Advisory Panel on Investment Responsibility and Licensing (APIR-L), which is charged with upholding Stanford’s policy on investment responsibility.
In addition to warning students of potential disciplinary review by the Office of Community Standards, the administration threatened students that they could be charged with criminal trespass. The warning read, “Your actions have prevented the usual conduct of university matters in Building 10, which includes the office of the President and Provost among others.”
Protesters have not prevented administrators from entering or exiting any buildings. Protesters have also not entered Building 10.
The students sitting in are still hoping to schedule an open meeting with Stanford’s President Hennessy.
Fossil Free Stanford still no plan to leave the building, and will be joined by alumni, faculty, and community members throughout the coming days.
###
Find photos for download and use, credited to: “Dean Chahim, Fossil Free Stanford,” at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/fossilfreestanford.
Visit www.fossilfreestanford.org for more details on the history of the campaign.
