Dear Pomona College community,
I write to update you on the latest developments from Washington, D.C. that are impacting our College community. In doing so, I first want to reaffirm without equivocation Pomona’s enduring mission of providing quality education to talented students. Last week, I met with other college leaders involved with the American Talent Initiative which aims to increase access to higher education for low-income students. Pomona is a founding member institution of this initiative and our commitment to college access remains as strong as ever. We believe our nation and our economy benefit from cultivating and supporting students from all income levels in their quest to pursue higher education.
In addition, the College remains firmly committed to academic freedom, and the cultivation of an environment free from bias, stigma, or harassment through the fostering of an inclusive and diverse environment that supports inter-cultural connection, compassion, and opportunity. These values form the foundation of Pomona and its service to our students, the advancement of knowledge and understanding and social progress for the good of all. Due to significant interest in the broader College community about how these recent developments are impacting the College, I will summarize here for you the latest legal developments surrounding decisions in our nation’s capital and how they affect the College.
Executive Orders Overview
As you know, in the first weeks of his second term, President Trump announced a number of Executive Orders that threatened to seriously impact higher education institutions, faculty and students, including at Pomona. Subsequently, multiple states, non-profit associations (including higher education associations of which Pomona is a member) and other affected institutions have filed lawsuits challenging the legality of many of these orders. In numerous instances, federal judges considering these lawsuits have ruled that various provisions within the Executive Orders are likely unconstitutional and have preliminarily enjoined certain federal officials from implementing such orders. It is anticipated that the Trump administration will challenge these rulings; for now, however, some elements of the relevant Executive Orders remain enjoined from proceeding forward. That includes the Executive Order that would have cut previously awarded competitive grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Institutes of Health (NIH), of which, I am proud to say, several of our faculty are recipients.
“Dear Colleague” Letter
Meanwhile, on February 14, the Department of Education (DOE) issued a “Dear Colleague” letter to all institutions of higher education related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. Based on its interpretation of a 2023 Supreme Court decision (Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard [SFFA])—which made the use of race in college admissions illegal—the department advised that no educational institution may use race or “non-racial information as a proxy for race” in decisions of any kind. The DOE also advised that it intended to begin investigating institutions for compliance within 14 days of its letter (February 28, 2025) and that institutions found in violation of its determination risked losing federal funding. As the letter has generated significant concern in the higher education community, I want to confirm that the College complies with relevant state and federal law and does not consider race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in its practices. At the same time, while the College is working to evaluate the potential implications of the letter, its mission and values have not changed.
The DOE’s letter has been met with a lawsuit, and so a judge will determine its legality. In the meantime, the College will continue to work with its partners to monitor related developments.
If you have any interest in seeing the entirety of Executive Orders that have been issued with an impact on higher education, you can find that information on this compilation site provided by the American Council of Education (ACE), a national association of higher education institutions to which Pomona belongs and which was a party to the lawsuit challenging the NIH cuts. Please note many of the orders cited by ACE have been enjoined by federal courts.
College’s Resources and Conversations
Please know that Pomona is committed to supporting all members of our community. I also refer you to the previous information we have shared about these matters and the related frequently asked questions regarding immigration protocols (Login to Pomona’s portal is required to access the FAQ.) Executive staff members and I have attended several in-person meetings with faculty, staff and students to provide updates and to answer questions on the College’s approach to these executive orders. We will continue to do our best to keep you informed as these issues unfold and as Pomona does its best to respond accordingly.
In the meantime, we continue to convey Pomona’s deep concern about these issues to our federal legislators and their staffs and to encourage friends of the College across the country to do so as well. We also continue to work with and learn from the excellent work that national higher education bodies are doing to represent the best interests of colleges and universities as these national debates unfold. I am grateful to all those sharing their views as citizens with our legislators and to everyone across the College community supporting one another in many ways as we together advance the College’s vital commitment to education, understanding and community.
With appreciation,
Bob
Robert Gaines, acting president and Edwin F. and Martha Hahn Professor of Geology