Alumni Association Board Meeting Minutes 06/22/24

Pomona College Alumni Association Board Meeting Minutes

June 22, 2024 – 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Virtual Meeting

Officer & Committee Chair Attendees: Andrew Brown ’77, Monika Moore ’03, Josh Rodriguez ’13, Alfredo Romero ’91, Andrea Venezia ’91, Nina Zhou ’19

Board Members in Attendance: Soren Austenfeld ’15, Miguel Delgado ’20, Stuart Friedel ’08, Robi Ganguly ’00, Marcel Green ’90, Carol Kruse ’84, Toran Langford ’21, Jeff Levere ’12, Linda Luisi ’81, Te’auna Patterson ’18, Julie Siebel ’84, Tricia Sipowicz ’85 P’22, Jim Sutton ’84 P’22

New FY25 Members in Attendance: Eliza Bennitt, Renee Dupont, Anne Elsberry, Jackie Huffman ’83, James Zhang

Guests and Staff Attendees: Avis Hinkson, Pritina Irvin, Kerry Martin, Monika Moore ’03, Maria Watson 

Excused Absences: Aldair Arriola- Gomez ’17, Michael Bright ’10, Lew Phelps ’65, Amy Rhodes ’07 

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 (17) in attendance for a quorum. 
 

Call to Order: The meeting was called to order at 10:00 AM by President Alfredo Romero ’91.  

Approval of Board Meeting Minutes from 3.16 & 4.28.24 were distributed to the Board. Linda Luisi motioned to approve the minutes. Jeff Levere seconded the motion. Minutes approved without dissent; motion passed. 
                                    
Guests: Dean Avis Hinkson & Maria Watson, VP of Advancement both took time to welcome our news alumni board members. They also talked through the events of this past year – the celebrations, the challenges, and the progress made within our community.  Dean Hinkson discussed the increased focus on recent events, particularly the conflict in the Middle East last fall, which heightened tensions at Pomona and other colleges. She highlighted the emotional impact on the campus community and the difficulty of addressing these issues. Pomona’s tradition of student activism was noted, with an emphasis on free speech and academic freedom, though limits were recognized when activism disrupted college operations and safety.

Hinkson mentioned new realities in activism, including the use of social media, and masked individuals, which led to policy updates at the College. These included requiring protesters to remove masks and identify themselves, adding shared ancestry to the harassment policy, and clarifying protections against anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. Free speech policies were updated to distinguish between protected speech and hate speech.

Efforts to promote respectful dialogue and strengthen community partnerships were emphasized. Due to safety concerns, including vandalism, graduation was moved to the Shrine Auditorium. The community's flexibility and determination were praised in ensuring a meaningful ceremony for the class of 2024. Dean Hinkson concluded by recognizing the challenges of the past year and the importance of the board members' work in the coming year.

Maria Wattson, VP of Advancement, shared progress and future plans in three key areas of the strategic plan:

1. Middle Income Initiative:
   • Pomona College aims to increase support for middle-income families (annual income between $75,000 and $150,000), which are currently underrepresented at Pomona.
   • The college has launched a strategic fundraising campaign to expand financial aid for these students, addressing the affordability gap that prevents many from applying.
2. Center for Global Engagement:
   • Plans to replace the Oldenborg Center with a new multi-level, 100,000+ square foot center that will include residence halls, a dining hall, classrooms, and interactive workspaces.
   • The new center will support the college's academic mission and enhance study abroad and study away programs, continuing Pomona's leadership in global education.
3. Return to Pomona:
   • An initiative to bring alumni back to campus to teach, present their work, collaborate with faculty and students, and offer guidance.
   • The program kicked off with Mikey Dickerson, a 2001 graduate who taught a class on managing complex systems and presented his work during alumni weekend.
   • The college is looking to identify more alumni to participate in this initiative.

Maria concluded by opening the floor for questions about the past year's progress and plans for the coming year.

President’s Report: Alfredo Romero ’91 shared that at the final meeting of the Board of Trustees, the following key points were covered:

1. Chair Transition: Sam Glick's final meeting as chair, marked by a bittersweet farewell.
2. CGU's New President: Introduction of the new president at Claremont Graduate University (CGU) and the positive relationship between CGU and the board.
3. Upcoming October Meeting: Plans to address major challenges in higher education, investments, and overall institutional issues.
4. Staff Changes:
   • Farewell to Mark Kendall, the outgoing Director of Communications, with Patty Vest stepping in as interim.
   • Election of Jeff Pearson as the new Secretary to the Board of Trustees and Director of Board Engagement.
   • Announcement of Jonathan Williams as the new Dean of Admissions, bringing extensive experience from NYU and Dartmouth. He is expected to lead Pomona College in innovative directions in admissions.

Thanks to out-going Alumni Board Members: Alfredo Romero ’91 shared his appreciation for those alumni who’s term on the Alumni Board has come to an end:

Committee Reports

Development Committee: Nina Zhou ’19 provided an update on annual giving, stating they have reached more than 80% of the $20.9 million goal. A final campaign is underway to reach this goal by June 30. They need around 300 more donors to unlock a matching gift from the Board of Trustees. The Development Committee is reaching out to alumni for donations, which can be designated to various programs like the annual fund, SERP, PSIP, and student mentorship programs.

Julie asked about the matching gift requirements, and Nina clarified that it applies to all donors, not just new ones. However, they still need about 500 new donors for this fiscal year. Outreach efforts are targeting reunion attendees and past donors from the last three years. Annual giving aims to balance effective outreach without overwhelming potential donors. Student callers are actively working to meet the goal within the next eight days.

Engagement Committee:  Joshua Rodriguez ’13 Joshua Rodriguez reflected on the achievements and challenges of the Engagement Committee:

1. Acknowledgements: Thanked outgoing and current members for their contributions, including staff support.
2. Alumni Weekend: Highlighted the strong partnership and successful event planning despite various challenges.
3. Career Development: Focused on webinars, preparation sessions, and winter break socials to support career growth for alumni.
4. Engagement Initiatives: Mentioned panels and feedback sessions to improve alumni engagement and support.
5. Future Opportunities: Identified broad scope of engagement, with areas for improvement in alumni programming, community events, and education.
6. Final Reflection: Emphasized the importance of understanding the committee’s role in supporting both the college and the alumni base amidst evolving challenges.

Regional Chapters Committee:  Andrew Brown ’77 and Linda Luisi ’81 discussed the progress and challenges of expanding regional chapters:

1. Resource Constraints: Plans to expand the number of regional chapters were hindered by resource limitations, although a new St. Louis chapter may be forming.
2. Solidifying Processes: This year was focused on solidifying how to work with existing regional chapters and ensuring connectivity.
3. Future Expansion: Optimism about potentially adding more chapters in the future with Monica’s team.
4. DC Chapter Initiative: Linda Luisi mentioned that her work on the DC chapter was delayed due to illness, but it is now progressing. The DC chapter is solidifying with a strong leadership team and planned programs.

Faculty / Staff board representative Reports

Admissions: Our Admissions representative Tray Hammond ’22 was not present at this meeting.

Annual Giving: In Jacob Warren’s absence, Nina Zhou ’19 highlighted several key accomplishments and initiatives in Development/Annual Giving for the year:

1. Participation Rate: Despite challenges, the participation rate improved, reaching 18 compared to last year's 19.
2. Taste of Pomona Initiative: A promising new tradition to connect current students with alumni.
3. Targeted Giving: Focus on advocating for donations to specific programs rather than the college as a whole.
4. New Team Members: Successful onboarding of new annual giving team members.
5. Strategic Reassessment: Efforts to reassess and improve strategies for supporting the college and increasing participation.

Nina thanked the committee for their hard work and invited further feedback.

Career Development Office: Kerry Martin from Pomona’s Career Development Office (CDO) discussed ongoing initiatives focused on supporting young and recent alumni. These efforts, which have been ongoing for several years, are aimed at helping alumni navigate the challenges of transitioning from college to the professional world, especially in light of difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and societal changes. The college plans to continue these efforts, emphasizing career support, adulting skills, and maintaining connections with alumni.

Specific collaborations and programs mentioned included alumni paths presentations, workshops on project management, careers in college access programming, DEI programs, and sustainability. Kerry expressed gratitude for the support and collaboration from various individuals and alumni in these initiatives. Future plans include creating a series of programs to assist with career issues, life skills, and fostering alumni engagement immediately after graduation. Kerry also thanked Alfredo Romero and the Alumni Board for their support and partnership with the CDO.

Faculty: Our Faculty Representative Victoria Sancho-Lobis was not present at this meeting. 

Advancement Communications: Kristen McCabe Romero Kristen Romero shared updates on various initiatives and stories at Pomona College:

1. New Faculty-Led Study Away Programs: A new program led by Professor Mitech Bosnsky took students to Belgium and Morocco for three weeks. The program includes pre-travel work, travel, and post-travel academic work. Two more such programs are confirmed for this year.
2. Summer Series on Alumni Award Winners: The series will highlight alumni who were recognized with awards, with one story being published each week through mid to late August.
3. Interview with Professor Emerita Marjorie Hearth: An upcoming story will focus on her second edition of the "Reflections" book, which includes essays from faculty emeriti and long-time staff members.
4. Pomona College Magazine Summer Issue: The magazine, themed around global community and engagement, will include features on the alumni weekend, the new Center for Global Engagement, a piece on outgoing Board of Trustees member Sam Glick, and a welcome for Monica.
5. Various Stories and Updates: The college will release multiple stories on their impact blog and social media, showcasing the achievements and activities of the Pomona community.

Kristen expressed gratitude for the collaboration, suggestions, and dedication of the community, inviting further ideas and feedback. 

New Committee Structure: Alfredo Romero ’91 discussed the need to evaluate and possibly restructure the board’s committees to better align with the board's goals and members' interests. Currently, the only mandated committees are the Leadership Development Committee and the Executive Committee. Other committees can be created as needed. Alfredo emphasized that the board's effectiveness depends on aligning its work with both the college's priorities and the members' enthusiasm. He highlighted past focuses, such as regional chapters and fundraising, and initiated a conversation on future priorities, suggesting areas like young alumni engagement and regional chapter involvement. The discussion aims to determine if the current structure remains suitable or requires changes, with a goal to have this new committee structure in place by the August 10th alumni board meeting.

New Business: Monika Moore ’03 shared two business topics to the board:

1. Call for Nominations for the "Return to Pomona" program. It's crucial to have a diverse and suitable group of candidates due to the complex, faculty-led nature of the selection process. There will be processes in place to keep nominees engaged even if they are not selected. Monika encouraged nominations from alumni circles and self-nominations from fellow alumni.
2. Action Item Checklist: In collaboration with Andrea and Alfredo, we are working on creating an action item checklist for the board. This will help board members track their tasks and ensure they're fulfilling their roles effectively, such as nominating candidates and other responsibiliti                         

Adjournment: Having no further business being brought to the Board, the PCAAB President adjourned the meeting at 1:00pm.

Next Alumni Board Meeting:
New Member Onboarding: Saturday, July 27 (10am -12 noon PT)
Alumni Board Meeting #1: Saturday, August 10, 2024