The University has pledged to keep its direct investments out of companies "complicit with Sudan's genocidal policies," according to a statement unanimously endorsed by the executive committee of the school's board of trustees at its April 10 meeting.None of the University endowment is directly invested in such companies now, said John Hose, executive assistant to the president, and the University will now hire an outside firm to ensure that this remains the case.

"When dealing with an issue of this magnitude-and genocide so clearly rises to an exceptional case-it warrants action," Hose said.

Prohibited companies are those "maintaining equipment, facilities, personnel, or other tools of commerce," or "providing goods and services to companies operating in Sudan," the statement says. The statement also forbids investment in the Sudanese government itself.

Brandeis can invest, however, in companies that engage solely in humanitarian work to help the people of Sudan-for example, through education, telecommunication services or journalism.

Since last fall, students from the Brandeis chapter of Students Taking Action Now: Darfur have met with Hose and other senior administrators to discuss divestment from Sudan.

"The students' action and interest brought this issue to the floor," Hose said.

Daniel Millenson '09, a leader in the campus's efforts for Sudan divestment, said Brandeis' decision to divest sets an important precedent for neighboring universities and for the state of Massachusetts, and draws local attention to a critical international issue.

Millenson, the executive director of the national Sudan Divestment Task Force, said he is very pleased with the executive committee's decision, but is disappointed the statement did not address indirect investments, such as mutual funds, private equities or hedge funds.

About 90 percent of the University's endowment is indirectly invested, said Maureen Murphy, vice president of financial affairs and treasurer.

She said that in the fall, the University checked both direct and indirect holdings and found that none were invested in companies on a list of about 40 that Millenson submitted.

"At this point, we're committing to the direct," Murphy said. It is important, she said, that the University has created clear criteria defining prohibited companies, which could possibly be extended to indirect investments in the future.

Hose said it is "almost impossible" to monitor the makeup of indirect holdings, since it changes daily.

Millenson agreed, but said the task force has been in communication with asset managers, who have said they would create Sudan-free portfolios if enough institutions asked them to. "They'll create the supply if we create the demand," he said.

The task force, which Millenson helped launch, works to encourage universities, states and cities to divest from Sudan. Eleven schools have divested so far, including Harvard, Stanford, Yale, Brown, Amherst College, Simmons College and the entire University of California system.

The group is working with close to 20 universities and colleges and several cities and states, Millenson said. He co-wrote a divestment bill that passed last month in Providence, R.I., making it the first American city to divest. He also submitted sample legislation to the Massachusetts joint committee on public service and lobbied on Beacon Hill with other members of Brandeis' STAND chapter in support of a Massachusetts divestment bill.

"We want to increase pressure on the federal government to take stronger action against Sudan," he said. Specifically, Millenson said, students want more peacekeeping troops sent to the violent Darfur region.

Brandeis administrators initially reacted to the campaign with "healthy skepticism," Millenson said. "They're afraid of politicizing their investments."

Hose agreed that this was a concern. "Where do you draw the line?" he asked. "What about divesting from people who use prison labor? People who pollute? The list could be endless."

But genocide in Sudan, he said, is a clear case.