Portland State protesters among activists demanding schools cut ties to companies connected to...

A piece of cardboard with “Intel is complicit, divest” painted across it sat among the protest signs covering the steps of Portland State University’s library last week when it was occupied by protesters against the war in Gaza.

The term “divestment” has been used for decades in protests on college campuses, and often refers to a demand from demonstrators that schools cut financial ties with a company or country they say is harmful. Experts say calls for divestment rarely, if ever, have a financial impact on the intended target. However, divestment calls likely help demonstrators raise awareness about the issue they’re protesting — and about how money flows between educational institutions and large businesses.