Partnership Initiative Frequently Asked Questions

Claremont Graduate University (CGU) was founded in 1925 and is an independent university devoted exclusively to graduate-level education. Both Pomona and CGU have been part of The Claremont Colleges Consortium since its founding more than 100 years ago by Pomona President James Blaisdell. CGU was the original graduate institution within our distinctive higher education Consortium, and Pomona and CGU share a century of partnership based in President Blaisdell’s founding vision of collaborative educational excellence. CGU continues to play a vital role in the academic and intellectual life of the Claremont Colleges.

The Claremont Colleges Consortium enables seven independent institutions to share academic, extracurricular, and operational resources — giving students and faculty the benefits of a large university alongside the personal scale of a small college. Founded in 1925, the Consortium today comprises more than 8,000 students and 3,400 faculty and staff across nearly 600 acres, with each institution maintaining its own distinct mission and identity.

Pomona students are enrolled at Pomona while gaining full access to the Consortium's shared academic and extracurricular programs and services, along with leading faculty and scholars across all seven campuses. This interconnected structure enhances and complements Pomona's liberal arts mission, offering students the depth of a small college experience with the breadth of resources typically found only at a much larger university.

Pomona and CGU are operating under a non-disclosure agreement that governs both institutions' discussions while an affiliation agreement is developed. This is a standard practice in partnerships of this kind, allowing both parties to negotiate candidly and protect sensitive institutional information, such as financial details, legal terms, and strategic planning, while the work is underway. We recognize this can be frustrating, and we're committed to sharing as much as we can, as soon as we're able to.

The exploratory work is nearing completion, but as noted above, the non-disclosure agreement limits what we can share until the agreement is finalized and presented to the Board.

Following CGU's selection of Pomona as its preferred partner, the two institutions signed a non-binding Letter of Intent in December 2025 and are now discussing and developing an affiliation agreement that outlines the proposed partnership. That agreement, if finalized, would address governance, financial arrangements and the transformation approach for CGU. Earlier input gathered through engagement sessions and the feedback form helped inform this work. We continue to welcome feedback as we move toward a final agreement and, if approved, its implementation.

We are able to share that the structure being discussed would give Pomona a formal governance role at CGU, similar to a parent organization, while both schools maintain separate identities, degree-granting authority and academic missions. Any final agreement would be subject to approval by both Pomona's and CGU’s Boards of Trustees.

No. In mid-December 2025, Pomona’s Board of Trustees accepted the invitation of the CGU Board of Trustees to enter into an exclusive conversation that allows both institutions to explore the prospect of such a partnership in greater depth. A final decision about whether to proceed will be made by both the Pomona and CGU Boards of Trustees, each of which would need to approve the agreement before a partnership could move forward. Both Boards are expected to consider this decision in October 2026.

During due diligence, institutions thoroughly examine a potential partnership before making commitments. Pomona’s due diligence has included a comprehensive review of CGU’s financial position and related risks, the condition of CGU facilities, legal and compliance matters and CGU's academic transformation plans. Throughout this process, we have also engaged both communities to gather ideas and address questions because the perspective of students, faculty, alumni, parents and the entire Pomona and CGU communities remain important to this careful review. This process has informed the proposed affiliation agreement now under discussion, helping ensure that both institutions understand what a partnership could and would entail before each respective board makes its final decision.

Shared governance has been central to how Pomona has approached this process from the start. Faculty and staff representatives have served on the Partnership Initiative Working Group conducting due diligence since its formation, bound by the same confidentiality obligations that have governed this process throughout. Faculty and staff were also consulted through numerous additional channels last semester, and those consultations surfaced insights that informed this work as due diligence progressed. Pomona's Board of Trustees will make its final decision about whether to proceed, informed by the perspectives of faculty governance bodies, staff subject-matter expertise, and broader community feedback.

The College has been gathering perspectives throughout this process to ensure broad community input informs the Board's decision making. Ongoing opportunities to participate include the feedback form and informal conversations with members of the working group, as well as additional forthcoming engagement opportunities. You will find current opportunities listed in the menu on this webpage. If the agreement is approved, additional engagement opportunities will be offered to share information and answer questions about what comes next.

If the Board of Trustees of either institution determines that a partnership is not in Pomona’s or CGU’s best interest or cannot be structured appropriately, the partnership will not proceed. Pomona would continue operating independently, and CGU would resume its search for a partner that can support its mission and future.

This partnership represents a strategic opportunity to preserve graduate education excellence in The Claremont Colleges while potentially creating new pathways for our students and faculty. A transformed CGU could also provide opportunities for innovation in liberal arts education as we explore new models for institutional collaboration. Those collaborations could include research partnerships, student professional development opportunities,expanded career networking and other ideas generated through community engagement.

CGU’s leadership has identified opportunities to transform their academic programs and operations to better serve graduate students and respond to evolving market needs. A partnership with Pomona would provide the institutional stability and strategic support that would enable CGU to pursue these transformation plans while maintaining their graduate education mission and role in The Claremont Colleges.

Pomona is not seeking to become a graduate institution. Rather, we see potential value in preserving strong graduate education in The Claremont Colleges and ensuring the Consortium’s long-term vitality. Supporting CGU as a distinct graduate institution would align with our commitment to The Claremont Colleges model while maintaining our own enduring focus on undergraduate liberal arts education.

No. We did not anticipate taking this step and it was not part of our strategic vision. However, because Pomona is the founding member of The Claremont Colleges and the decision facing CGU is significant both for CGU and the Consortium, we felt we had to enter the conversation to see if we could help maintain the Consortium's strength and stability.

The Claremont Colleges Consortium has been central to Pomona's identity and educational model for more than a century. A thriving graduate institution strengthens the intellectual community and resources available across the Consortium. This partnership could help ensure the Consortium’s stability and allow Pomona to play a role in shaping CGU’s future, rather than leaving that outcome to external parties whose interests might not align with The Claremont Colleges’ values and collaborative model.

If CGU were to partner with an outside entity, that partner could gain control over CGU's land and facilities adjacent to Pomona College and other consortium campuses. Depending on the partnership structure, an outside entity could potentially use those assets in ways that don't align with the Claremont Colleges' mission and character, including potentially selling them to non-educational organizations. This potential risk was an important motivation for exploring a partnership, though it's not the primary factor. The primary focus is on the potential to preserve graduate education excellence in the consortium and create mutual benefits for both institutions.

Standalone graduate schools across the country are facing financial and enrollment challenges as the higher education landscape evolves. At the same time, liberal arts colleges are exploring new ways to demonstrate their continued relevance and adapt their educational models. This partnership would represent an innovative approach to both challenges: preserving graduate education excellence while creating opportunities for liberal arts pedagogy to inform professional graduate programs in ways that could benefit both institutions and their students.

Nonprofit educational partnerships like the one being explored between Pomona and CGU don’t involve a purchase price the way a commercial transaction would. Pomona would not pay a purchase price for CGU or redirect Pomona's financial resources to fund CGU's operations. The structure under discussion would give Pomona a formal governance role at CGU, similar to a parent organization, while each school maintains its own finances, budget and financial accountability. No final structural decisions have been made, and any final structure would be subject to approval by both the Pomona and CGU Boards of Trustees, as well as review by relevant accrediting and regulatory bodies.

Under the structure being discussed, Pomona would take on a formal governance role at CGU, similar to a parent organization, while CGU would continue to operate as a distinct institution with its own students, faculty, degrees and academic mission. The two institutions would also explore opportunities for administrative and operational efficiencies where that makes sense for both schools. Final details would be set out in the affiliation agreement, subject to approval by both the Pomona and CGU Boards of Trustees, as well as review by relevant accrediting and regulatory bodies.

No. Under the partnership structure being explored, CGU and Pomona would remain distinct institutions with separate admissions, academic programs, faculty and degrees. Each school would continue to serve its own students and maintain its own educational mission.

No. CGU students would continue to receive graduate degrees from Claremont Graduate University. The partnership would not change CGU’s degree-granting authority or the credentials their students earn.

These are important questions that CGU’s leadership is addressing as part of their transformation planning. CGU is engaging its own community about how its academic and operational plans would affect faculty, staff, and students. We are discussing these plans with CGU leadership as part of our ongoing work together, but the details appropriately rest with CGU as they work with their community.

This partnership would preserve CGU’s ability to maintain its relationships with the other Claremont Colleges. Those partnerships are important to CGU's institutional identity and to the consortium as a whole. As CGU's academic programs evolve, the specific nature of those collaborations might change, but the commitment to consortium relationships would remain.

No. CGU’s mission would remain focused on graduate education, not on serving Pomona. Both institutions would preserve separate identities and academic autonomy. We would hope to develop collaborative opportunities over time where our complementary strengths create mutual benefits, but any collaboration would be voluntary and designed to benefit both communities rather than subordinate CGU’s mission to Pomona’s needs.

Graduate institutions across the country are struggling with similar challenges. A partnership with Pomona would provide CGU with the institutional stability to pursue ambitious transformation plans that are difficult to execute under CGU's current financial constraints. For example, Pomona brings operational strengths, strong financial management and governance practices and deep knowledge of liberal arts education that could inform CGU's program innovation. The partnership would also provide market credibility during the transformation period. That said, we're realistic that CGU's path to sustainability ultimately depends on the university's successful academic transformation and its ability to attract students to reimagined programs. Pomona can offer the stable conditions and strategic support necessary for such a transformation.

Partnering with CGU would not mean redirecting Pomona’s financial resources to subsidize CGU operations. Rather, the partnership would help CGU explore new financial models and revenue opportunities that enable their transformation and long-term sustainability. Pomona’s role would be to provide strategic guidance, institutional stability, and partnership opportunities, not ongoing financial support.

Pomona has been strengthening its financial position through a multiyear savings and reallocation program and maintains a top credit rating, as described in President Starr's update on Pomona's financial position. CGU’s financial challenges are well-documented and would need to be addressed as part of any partnership structure. Our due diligence has included careful analysis of how a partnership could be designed to protect Pomona’s strategic commitments—including planned investments in additional faculty lines, salaries and other academic priorities—while supporting CGU’s path to sustainability.

Yes. Pomona’s commitments to our academic departments and undergraduate programs remain our priority. The partnership would only proceed if it could be structured in a way that protects our ability to continue investing in our core educational mission.

Pomona would not take on significant financial risk in the proposed partnership. The arrangement would not involve a purchase price and would not draw on Pomona’s operating budget or other resources designated for Pomona’s ongoing academic and operational needs. Instead, Pomona's role would be to offer guidance, access to better financing options and institutional credibility during the transformation period. Importantly, the College would not diminish its investment in its own mission. The College’s commitment to faculty lines, competitive salaries, academic programs and other strategic priorities outlined in President Starr's update on Pomona's financial position would remain unchanged. The partnership would only proceed if it can be structured to protect Pomona’s current commitments while supporting CGU's path to sustainability.

No. Donations made to Pomona College will support Pomona College, whether designated for specific programs or given as unrestricted support for the College's priorities. Donor intent will be fully honored. Pomona’s approach to this potential partnership is that CGU must achieve financial sustainability through its own revenue sources. The College will not divert financial resources from our undergraduate mission to subsidize CGU's operations.

No. Pomona faculty would continue to focus on undergraduate teaching and research. We are approaching this partnership guided by our unwavering commitment to our undergraduate mission and academic culture. Any opportunities for faculty collaboration with CGU would be voluntary and would not change core faculty responsibilities.

Most Pomona staff roles would continue unchanged. A partnership would also not lead to a reduction in Pomona staff positions. As part of developing the agreement, some administrative functions have already been evaluated for potential efficiencies, while others may be examined over time. In all cases, the details of implementation would be worked out after an agreement is signed, with input from affected staff as part of that planning. Any changes would be designed to support both institutions effectively while maintaining Pomona’s operational priorities, and staff would be appropriately resourced to carry out any new responsibilities.

No. Pomona’s faculty hiring decisions and resource allocations for our undergraduate programs would remain independent.

Under the proposed structure, Pomona and CGU would maintain separate academic programs and faculty. Pomona faculty would continue to focus on undergraduate teaching and research and would not be required to take on graduate students or advise graduate student research. However, just as some Pomona faculty occasionally teach additional courses at CGU, interested faculty could continue to pursue such opportunities through CGU. Any collaboration—whether teaching graduate courses or advising graduate students—would be voluntary and at the individual faculty member's initiative.

The partnership is designed to preserve and strengthen Pomona’s undergraduate experience while potentially creating new opportunities over time for students interested in graduate education pathways. We are exploring how, in the years and decades ahead, the partnership might benefit Pomona students, including additional opportunities for internships, research and career development.

No. Close faculty-student relationships are central to Pomona's identity and educational model. Pomona courses are taught by faculty members who work directly with students, and we would not introduce graduate teaching assistants into Pomona classes. Any partnership structure would need to preserve Pomona's distinctive undergraduate pedagogy and the direct faculty-student relationships that define our educational experience.

No. Pomona and CGU would maintain separate academic programs, and Pomona students who take CGU courses under existing cross-enrollment practices (typically about 20 course enrollments per semester) could continue to do so. If the partnership happens, it could create opportunities to develop innovative undergraduate pathways to graduate education, but any such programs would require thoughtful development and faculty input over time.

As part of our due diligence, we have conducted an independent facilities condition assessment to evaluate CGU’s physical plant and deferred maintenance needs. If the partnership moved forward, details about how facilities would be governed and managed would be determined through a joint campus master planning process. Any arrangement would need to serve both institutions’ needs effectively.

As part of developing the proposed agreement, we examined the potential for integrated non-academic operations in areas like finance, human resources, facilities and information technology. This work focused on how operational integration could improve service quality, reduce redundancies and strengthen administrative support at both institutions. As with other administrative functions, final decisions on implementation would be made after an agreement is signed, with input from affected staff.

Faculty at both institutions would maintain their current academic credentials and appointments. The potential partnership structure would be designed to preserve each institution’s academic autonomy and faculty governance.