Portland University Pauses Boeing Ties amid Gaza Protests

In an open letter, PSU president Ann Cudd announced on Friday that the university will host a forum in May to discuss student concerns about “ties” to the multibillion-dollar weapons manufacturer, which come primarily in the form of philanthropic donations.

While students have been urging the university to cut its relationship with Boeing for years, pressure has ramped up since the “Israeli” aggression on Gaza.

Cudd detailed the university’s relationship with Boeing at a press conference last month, as reported by the PSU Vanguard student newsletter, saying that the company had this year donated $150,000 for a classroom, in addition to a regular donation of $28,000 to fund scholarships.

The aircraft manufacturer’s defense wing, Boeing Defense, Space and Security, has offices in “Israel” and supplies the entity with fighter jets including the F-15IA — the “Israeli” variant of the advanced F-15EX — and the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter.