Students and climate change activists will gather in Harvard Yard in Cambridge all this week, demanding that nation's oldest -- and the world's wealthiest -- university drop its stocks in fossil fuel companies. Hundreds of alumni and dozens of students say they're willing to be arrested.
Beginning Sunday night, the student-led group Divest Harvard is planning to block Massachusetts Hall, preventing President Drew Faust from entering her office.
Organizers say they won't move until Faust commits to divest the university's $36-billion-dollar endowment from top fossil fuel companies, such as Exxon Mobil, and Chevron.
The week of protests commenced Sunday evening at the First Parish Church in Cambridge where environmentalist and 350.org founder Bill McKibben spoke to students.
Robert Stavins teaches business at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. He says the divestment movement is fundamentally misguided.
"We need to focus on actions that are going to make a real difference -- as opposed to actions that may feel good, or look good, but have little real-world impact."
Stavins says symbolic actions divert the public from taking real action on climate change.
In a statement, Harvard says it respects the right of students to make their voices heard through peaceful protest, but the university hopes they won't disrupt business.
