Alumni Association Board Meeting Minutes 05/03/26

Pomona College Alumni Association Board Meeting Minutes

Sunday, May 3, 2026 | 10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Pacific Seaver House, Pomona College

Committee Chairs & Officers: Andrea Venezia ’91, Robi Ganguly ’00 -president elect, Anne Elsberry ’91 P’14, Stuart Friedel ’08, Emily Zheng ’19, Jim Sutton ’84 P’22, Jackie Huffman ’83 (absent), Eliza Bennitt ’98

Board Members: Robert Chew ’14 (absent), Lauren Clarke ’83 P’18, Miguel Delgado ’20, Renee Dupont ’80 P’09 (absent), Fred Feller ’71, Rebecca Golden ’10, Tony King ’97, Toran Langford ’21, Te’auna Patterson ’18, Jesse Stoneman ’12 (absent), Jacob Wilson ’15, Grace Zheng ’26

Alumni and Family Engagement Staff: Pritina Irvin, Mariam Khwajazada, Sarah Sturm

Special Guests: Maria Watson, Alfredo Romero ’91

Quorum: The quorum for a meeting of the Board shall be a majority of the voting members. Therefore, this meeting had the necessary number of voting members (16) in attendance for a quorum.

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 10:39 am by Board President Andrea Venezia ’91. Andrea opened the meeting with gratitude to the College, staff, and board members for their work on Alumni Weekend. She also shared that Maria Watson would join the meeting to provide clarity regarding the direction and role of the board.

Alumni Weekend Feedback Discussion

Andrea Venezia ’91 asked Board members to reflect on positive feedback and constructive recommendations from Alumni Weekend.

Overall feedback was highly positive. Board members described Alumni Weekend as well organized, smoother than prior years, and one of the strongest reunion experiences they had attended. Several members noted that they knew where to be, staff were available and responsive, and the board felt trusted to help carry the “front of house” experience.

Positive feedback about Alumni Weekend, included:

• Board members highlight strong student interaction as a major success.
• There was broad appreciation for holding Alumni Weekend while students were still on campus, with comments that student presence added energy and meaning to the weekend.
• The CDO Chirp and Chat was noted as a valuable and proactive opportunity to connect alumni with students.
• The Welcome Nest received positive feedback as an improvement over the prior year’s table model. Sweet treats and ribbons were noted as useful engagement tools, and one suggestion was for the board to be involved in selecting new ribbons in the future.
• Alumni Board AW Guidebook: Board members appreciated the opportunity to support the schedule, guide alumni, speak about board work and programming, and engage alumni more naturally.
• The PomonaMobile app was described as effective and accessible, even for those who were not highly tech oriented.
• Campus shuttle stops were also described as better planned this year.

Constructive recommendations were raised about Alumni Weekend, including:

• Improving wine corkscrews used at Taste of Pomona.
• Providing QR codes for bartender tips.
• Considering whether Taste of Pomona should return to a larger space.
• Addressing hedge walls that blocked the view of Carnegie during the All-Class Dinner on the Quad.
• Increasing energy on Saturday night.
• Consider more music or programmingafter Saturday evening events.
• Board membersalso discussedthe valueof keeping Seaver Houseopen during Alumni Weekend as a calm gathering space, possibly with attendants or limited access for board members and reunion leaders.
• Childcare or family-friendly activities, such as face painting or games, were also suggested.

Leadership Development Committee Process Update and Vote

Alfredo provided an update on the Leadership Development Committee process. He explained that the LDC is responsible for recommending incoming board members and leadership, while the full board votes on the slate. He noted that the committee was behind schedule in the new board member selection process.

The board discussed whether to extend the timeline for selecting the next slate of candidates into FY27. The stated concern was that board members rolling off would otherwise lose the opportunity to vote on the next slate. The stated benefit was that additional time would allow the LDC to conduct more research, confirm nominee interest, gather more complete information, and complete a stronger selection process.

Questions were raised about the nomination process, including whether nominees have the opportunity to accept nominations before being considered, what would be expected of the LDC if an extension were approved, whether LDC members supported the extension, and how the board would ensure accountability and prevent this from becoming an ongoing practice.

Suggestions included creating clearer timelines, providing monthly updates, updating nomination forms, adding references to nominations, sending automated responses to nominees, and ensuring thoughtful outreach to nominees who had not yet been contacted.

A motion was made by Lauren Clarke ’83 and seconded by Stuart Fridel ’08 to approve the proposed amended solution: to extend the terms of LDC members through the end of August 2026, move the final slate vote to late August, conduct additional research on current and past nominees, and provide monthly status updates. The motion passed unanimously.

Guiding Framework Discussion

Maria Watson led a guiding framework discussion focused on the history, purpose, and future direction of the Alumni Association Board. She began by reflecting on the origins of the Alumni Association and noted that the original purpose of connecting graduates to one another and to the College continues to inform the board’s current charge.

Maria invited board members to reflect on when Pomona alumni gatherings are at their best. Themes included intersectional gatherings across classes and constituencies, spontaneous and organic connection, formalized roles that help create interaction,project-based collaboration, Pomona’s distinctive intellectual and cultural complexity, social connection, and transparency from staff and College leaders.

The conversation then moved into frustrations from the year. Maria acknowledged board members’ strong desire to supportstudents, especially as they transition into alumni life,and recognized thatthe board has experienced frustration around unclear roles, use of time, trust, communication, and the perception that the College may not have fully valued alumni community connection. She stated that this is not the College’s intention and emphasized the importance of supporting the Sagehen community.

Maria framed the path forward around working together, clarifying the board’s purpose, defining the partnership between volunteers and staff, and identifying outcomes and visible metrics. She described the board’s role as strategic, advisory, high-level, and long-term, while also emphasizing that the practical meaning is working on shared problems together.

Board members raised questions and concerns about whether the board is the Alumni Association’s board of directors or an advisory body, whether alumni understand the board as a place to bring questions or concerns, whether the Alumni Association’s structure should be revisited, and how the board can advise the College if it does not have a clear communication vehicle with alumni.

The discussion included broader concerns about alumni trust, student experience, changes in campus culture, alumni engagement, mentorship, communication, and the need for a mechanism to better understand alumni perspectives. Maria noted that the College is conducting a campus climate survey and acknowledged the need to better understand disengagement within the alumni network.

Board members also discussed whether a more formal mentorship program is needed, how the board should engage with the guiding framework document before the June meeting, and whether a board communication vehicle, such as an alumni association newsletter, should be explored.

Committee Updates: The Development Committee reported that the partnership with the senior class is working well and exceedinglast year’s goal. Twenty students attended Tasteof Pomona, and the committee plans to continue the effort.

New Business

1. A request for the reunion committee to clarify the role of the Coop Fountain.

2. Request for greater budget transparency, including the history of the board’s budget and clarity

   around the purpose of the $4.70 minimum donation associated with some event registrations.

Andrea also read notes of gratitude for board members rolling off the board, including Te’auna Patterson,

Jim Sutton, Miguel D., Emily Zheng, Toran Langford, and Stuart Friedel.

Key Decisions:  

• The board unanimously approved the amended LDC proposal to extend the terms of LDC members rolling off the board through summer 2026, move the final slate vote to late August, conduct additional nominee research, and provide monthly status updates.
• The board affirmed the need to continue engaging with the guiding framework document before the June meeting, with members invited to provide edits, feedback, and areas of agreement or concern.

Action Items:

Meeting Adjourned

Andrea Venezia ’91 thanked all participants for their collaboration and adjourned the meeting at 1:58 PM. 

Next Meeting: Saturday, June 20, 2026 – Virtual Board Meeting

Key Dates: 2025 – 26

8/23/25 Alumni Board Meeting #1

10/11/25 Oct. Alumni Board Retreat: New Faculty Dinner (Faculty Award) 10/12/25 Alumni Board Meeting #2: Sunday* (on campus)

01/24/26 Alumni Board Meeting #3 03/21/26 Alumni Board Meeting #4

05/03/25 Alumni Board Meeting #5: Sunday* (on campus) 06/20/26 Alumni Board Meeting #6