Dear Sagehens,
In recent weeks, we have heard from members of the Black Student Union and other concerned community members regarding allegations of racist incidents at Pomona College. As new facts emerge, we are continuing to investigate these incidents as well as previously reported incidents, and we encourage any students with relevant information to come forward.
It has been meaningful and informative for our community to hear directly from students about their lived experiences at Pomona, including those shared at the Black Student Union’s townhall on March 25. It was encouraging to see so many people in attendance—a broad group of allies from across the College, the 5Cs and Southern California.
We appreciate the spirit in which BSU students led the townhall, and we heard the calls for increased engagement from College administration around these issues. The administration has been in contact with BSU representatives and looks forward to continued conversations and opportunities to work together.
In tandem with our ongoing investigations and dialogue with BSU representatives, the College is also taking active steps to expand intercultural competence, bias reduction and cultural awareness trainings across campus. Because some of the allegations involve individuals associated with our athletics programs, we are strengthening community education and accountability for all our student-athletes:
- Over Spring Break, student-athletes began receiving an intercultural competence refresher led by Brandon Jackson, our associate dean of students for student development and leadership. These sessions focused on the foundational concepts of intercultural competence, with particular attention to the harmful impact of the “n-word.” This workshop will be introduced to additional athletics teams throughout the Spring and Fall 2026 semesters.
- Our Athletics Department leadership is working with coaches and professional colleagues to identify external facilitators who can engage teams on bias reduction and cultural awareness. These programs are expected to begin in Summer and Fall 2026.
Additionally, leaders across the 5Cs are collaborating to develop additional intercultural competence and bias-reduction programing for students throughout the Pomona and Claremont community. We anticipate that these programs will be incorporated into early Fall 2026 events, including Fall Orientation, Student Leader Community Day, the Leap into Leadership Summit and student organization retreats.
As we proceed with our investigations and conversations, we understand the community’s desire for clarity about what has occurred and what steps are being taken to remedy the harm that these incidents have caused our community, particularly our Black students. At the same time, we are legally required to protect the privacy of students and employees, which limits the specific information we can share publicly. This includes information about conduct-related proceedings and personnel matters.
What we can share is the broader context that guides the College’s overall adjudication processes. In general, when conduct rises to the level of targeted harassment, threat or intimidation, it is not protected speech and the College will take whatever disciplinary action is merited. In other situations, the College relies on education and restorative processes—such as facilitated “Closing the Loop” conversations—to address harm and reduce the likelihood of repeated behavior.
As we continue to investigate and adjudicate these allegations, we will follow the law as well as established College processes.
Racism is antithetical to the College’s mission and core values. It has no place on our campus. We are grateful to the students who spoke up and continue to speak up about their concerns. We remain committed to offering support to affected community members as we proceed with our investigations and we look forward to ongoing engagement with our community on this important issue.
Respectfully,
Brent Carbajal, Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College
Avis Hinkson, Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students
Jeff Roth, Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and Treasurer