The referendum calling for a boycott of Israeli academic and cultural institutions failed with 228 students (14 percent) voting in favor, 1,144 opposed (71 percent) and 247 abstaining (15 percent), according to a campus-wide email from Bowdoin Student Government President Chris Breen '15.
Students had from Saturday, May 2 at noon until today at noon to vote; 1,619 students voted (85 percent of the student body).
One-third of enrolled students needed to vote in total, with two-thirds of voting students voting in favor, in order for the referendum to pass. If it passed, it would have been sent to the administration as a representation of the voice of the student body.
Over the past few days, supporters on both sides of the referendum actively lobbied students. While no official student organization took a stance against the boycott, an informal group of students headed up the opposition. Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) advocated the boycott.
Both sides hung posters stating their case around campus. Members of SJP were first seen taking down, and then writing "false" next to certain statements on posters opposing the boycott. Sponsored advertisements appeared on Facebook for a page titled "No Bowdoin Boycott" which linked to the website nobowdoinboycott.com. It is unclear who created the website or funded the Facebook advertisements.
Around a hundred students packed into Jack Magee's Pub on Monday night for a 90-minute open forum about the referendum.
More information on the referendum: bowdoinorient.com/article/10301
More information on the proposed boycott: bowdoinorient.com/article/10179