Dear Sagehens,
I hope the first month of the spring semester has gone well for you. It is exciting to see campus activities in full swing and to experience the energy of Pomona daily. It is also a busy semester, with several major institutional initiatives underway. I wanted to share a brief update on a few of them.
Shared Governance
As you know, since late spring 2025, our community has undertaken a year-long effort to strengthen the shared governance framework that is so essential to Pomona’s mission. We are grateful for the high levels of community involvement in these discussions across this academic year and for the hard work of the Shared Governance Task Force.
Two weeks ago, the representative bodies for students, staff and faculty approved three important documents: the Principles of Decision-Making, the Statement of Shared Governance, and the Threshold Conditions for Effective Shared Governance. These documents will now go to the Board of Trustees for approval during its March meeting.
The documents represent a significant expression of our community’s devotion to shared governance, consultation and improved communications, which are essential to Pomona as a leading academic institution that strives for inclusion and thoughtful deliberation. These principles and documents, at the same time, will take their meaning from each of us committing to them, both through the official shared governance entities (committees, task forces, etc.) on which we may serve and in our individual responsibilities as students, faculty and staff.
On behalf of the executive staff, I want to underline that the administration is enthusiastic about the principles outlined in these statements and will strive to live up to the ideals and practices to which they call us, including by inviting participation and communicating processes and outcomes in College decisions. If you have not already done so, I hope you will carefully read the three documents linked above and consider where you can contribute to shaping shared governance in this vital institution we share.
Potential Partnership with Claremont Graduate University (CGU)
Since the start of this semester, consistent with the importance of shared governance in such an important institutional matter, we have engaged constituencies across the College community on this potential partnership. I am grateful for the strong participation in these conversations. They have included an open campus forum, individual forums for faculty and staff, and webinar discussions with alumni and families. We have also held meaningful dialogues about this opportunity with the Faculty Executive Committee, ASPC, and leaders of administrative offices. Next month, members of the CGU Working Group will brief Staff Council, and on April 2, we will host a forum for staff that includes table discussions. In addition, two members of the Working Group charged with leading the College’s due diligence process continue to hold coffee talks every other Friday from 2 to 3 p.m. at Café 47 for any students, faculty or staff who want to discuss this matter. The schedule of discussions is available. Look for further engagement opportunities in the weeks and months ahead.
We continue to invite questions and comments about this process via our feedback form, and we will continue to update the FAQs in response to your insights and inquiries.
Advisory Council on Jewish Life and Antisemitism
As you know from my December announcement of the Resolution Agreement with the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and the Anti-Defamation League, the College is working on implementing a number of the steps it agreed to this spring. One of those, establishing an Advisory Council on Jewish Life and Antisemitism, aims to bring together various representatives from on and off campus to work collaboratively with Pomona administrators to create programming and activities associated with Jewish history, culture and antisemitism for the benefit of all students, faculty and staff.
The Council’s charge, reflecting its purpose, is “to inventory current programming related to Jewish life on campus, to provide recommendations on that programming, and to advise the President on any new issues, opportunities, and needs for improvement that might present themselves.”
The Council will reflect diverse opinions and backgrounds and will be comprised of 14 faculty, staff, student and community representatives. I anticipate the Council’s initial task will be to seek input from across the campus to assemble a comprehensive picture of current programming and services. Look for an invitation to participate or nominate others in the coming week. I’m grateful to all those who step forward to play a constructive role.
Meanwhile, I encourage everyone who has not yet done so to complete the Campus Climate Survey before the survey instrument closes on March 6. Your contributions to this analysis are essential to inform and shape Pomona’s commitment to being a place where every student, faculty and staff member can flourish academically, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Thanks to all those who have participated in the survey so far—and to all those who will share their perspectives and ideas before the survey closes.
Finally, we announced three speakers—leaders in law, human rights, and the study of democracy—who will address Pomona’s 133rd Commencement ceremony. I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu, humanitarian Jane Olson and author and professor Daniel Ziblatt ’95 to campus this May. You can read more about them in a story we posted this week.
I wish you the best as the semester continues and look forward to sharing further updates with you soon.
Sincerely,
Gabi