VOL. CXXXVI NO. 7

ASPC organizes ‘Black Out’ in solidarity with suspended Oct. 7 protesters

MYLES KIM

On Monday, Oct. 28, 5C students donned black clothing in a silent “Black Out” protest in solidarity with the students who were suspended for their alleged participation in the Oct. 7 occupation of Carnegie Hall. An Associated Students of Pomona College (ASPC) Senate statement on the suspensions released several days earlier called for participation in the protest.

“These are your peers facing punishment,” the statement reads. “Everyone on campus is encouraged to wear black throughout the day. This will serve as a safe and silent protest while ASPC works on further actions.”

The ASPC Senate statement, sent to students on Oct. 25, was signed by 12 senators and Devlin Orlin, ASPC president. In addition to calling for the “Black Out” protest, the statement condemned the actions of President G. Gabrielle Starr, describing her decision to suspend students as “punitive, excessive, and dangerous for the future of free expression at Pomona.”

“The decision made by President Starr is not about justice; it’s about control,” the Senate wrote.

“We’re watching students’ lives fall apart as they’re cut off from the second life they’ve built at school. This decision is a betrayal of the values Pomona claims to uphold.”

In the statement, the Senate also outlined a host of demands directed at Starr, the Board of Trustees and the Dean of Students.

Among these demands were the overturning of both permanent and interim suspensions, allowance for case investigations and Judicial Council hearings for all accused students, and the implementation of sanctions proportional to students’ alleged violations of student conduct.

“Initially our goal was to better understand the process that the

accused students were going through by interviewing the deans and other relevant individuals, but that eventually morphed into writing a statement that sought to mobilize the community,” senator and vice president of academic affairs Claudio Castillo PO ‘26 said.

“We know this situation is scary,” the statement reads. “We know it feels overwhelming. The administration may think they have the upper hand, but they’ve mistaken our fear for weakness. Use that fear to fuel your drive for change.”

Pitzer director of alumni programs fired, convicted of abusive sexual contact

ANNABELLE INK

CW: Sexual harassment, sexual violence

On Oct. 25, Pitzer College fired their director of alumni programs, Justin Baker. The decision came one day after Baker was convicted of abusive sexual contact aboard a flight to Seattle, where he molested an 18-year-old woman.

“All Pitzer staff and administrators, and alumni leaders who also worked with Justin, are shocked and angered by this deeply disturbing news,” Wendy Shattuck, assistant vice president of Pitzer’s communications team, wrote in an email to TSL. Shattuck added that the col-

See FIRING on page 3

Two days later, on Oct. 27, Bethany Slater, director of Claremont Hillel — the 7C Jewish community affinity group — sent an email to Hillel’s mailing list addressing the “Black Out” and ASPC’s statement. The email also offered Claremont Hillel’s headquarters as an “open space” for any community members feeling uncomfortable about the silent protest.

“Based on ASPC’s recent communications, I am hearing that there is real concern that this action will not support a healthy campus culture,” Slater

wrote. “Many are worried it will exacerbate the judgmental culture of intimidation that is currently so powerfully at work on our campuses.”

In a later email statement to TSL, Slater further clarified her position.

“Claremont Hillel is dedicated to fostering a space for nuanced opinions on complicated topics, a commitment we believe is essential to building a truly inclusive campus,” Slater said.

“While protest is a powerful tool, it can also be polarizing, often creating division rather

than fostering inclusivity.”

Slater also suggested that ASPC gather anonymous feedback from community members and present the findings to administrators, rather than call for a silent protest. She added that ASPC could hold meetings with a wide range of students affected by recent protests to gain a better understanding of diverse perspectives.

“By fostering a campus culture that values disagreement and debate, ASPC could help build a more resilient, respectful community,” Slater said.

Muslim civil rights group names Pomona College as ‘Institution of Particular Concern’ regarding administration’s treatment of protesters

ANSLEY WASHBURN

On Thursday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) – the United States’ largest Muslim advocacy group – designated Pomona College as an “institution of particular concern,” citing its “hostile environment” and the “threat to the safety of Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish, and other students, staff, and faculty who stand against occupation, apartheid, and genocide.”

The report also identified the University of Michigan and the University of Georgia in this category, claiming that these institutions have not sufficiently protected their Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students. This is the most recent in a series of similar reports from CAIR.

“Pomona College’s actions have created an environment of repression and fear for students who are courageously and non-violently standing

The news analysis podcast of the Claremont Colleges. Hosted by ben Lauren PZ ’25 and Dania Anabtawi PO ’26.

against Israel’s occupation, apartheid, and genocide in Palestine,” CAIR Los Angeles (CAIR-LA) Executive Director Hussam Ayloush said. “By des -

ignating Pomona College as an ‘Institution of Particular Concern,’ we are raising an alarm about the

See REPORT on page 3

Jeremy martin Po ’25 and Adam osmanKrinsky Po ’25 check out local restaurants, share their thoughts and recommendations, and get real silly along the way.

Former head chair of the Pomona College Judicial Council Henri Prevost PO ‘24 argues that President G. Gabrielle

mARIANA DURAN • THe STUDeNT LIFe

KHYLAH PUGH • THe STUDeNT LIFe

Pitzer College fired its director of alumni programs after he was convicted of abusive sexual contact on a flight to Seattle.

Scan here to listen to TSL’s podcasts!

CoURTeSY: PomoNA CoLLeGe An oct. 31 report from the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) labeled Pomona College as an “institution of particular concern” due to its treatment of Pro-Palestinian protestors throughout the spring and fall of this year.

Haverim paints over Walker Wall with ‘apolitical and inclusive’ designs

REILLY COSTELLO & RHEA SETHI

On Saturday, Oct. 19, Haverim,

a student-led Jewish group at the 5Cs, hosted a wall-painting event at Pomona College’s Walker Wall, historically a space for students’ political activism. Seeking to “restore unity and fun” to the wall and the greater 5Cs, over 75 participants painted over pre-existing political messages on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with doodles, slogans of Sagehen pride and references to favorite sports teams.

Walker Wall frequently displays student opinions about current events and campus life and for the past year, the wall has been largely dominated by political messages about Israel and Palestine.

Back in September, the message “Why do [Students for Justice in Palestine ] and [Associated Students of Pomona College spread anti-Jewish propaganda?” was painted on the wall after a zine about Palestinian liberation and COVID-19 was distributed at the 5C club fair. Just days later, the wall was covered with a new message: “Anti-Zionism is not anti-Jewish propaganda.”

Finn Cooper PO ’26, a board member at Haverim, said that several of the previous messages on the wall have been upsetting for some Jewish students at the 5Cs.

“Some people in the Jewish community have expressed that it was sort of a difficult moment in their day when they were walking past the wall, “ he said. “Our goal was just to reset. There’s politics all over campus. We just wanted to create a little moment where that wasn’t part of [Jewish students’] life.”

According to Cooper, the event was meant to “inspire something that evokes a smile.” A sign placed in front of the wall at Saturday’s event called on participants to keep designs apolitical and inclusive.

The wall painting took place from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., with organizers providing painting supplies, a water slide, music

and food. Vice President Emilio Bankier PO ’27 said he found the event to be successful and that it allowed people to enjoy themselves.

“We didn’t do it with the aim of being political,” Bankier said. “We did this with the aim of making students comfortable again and providing unity. Our main goal was not to put a message on there, and it wasn’t even to really erase a message either.”

But Ezra Levinson PZ ’27, a representative from Jewish Voice for Peace at the Claremont Colleges, argued that Haverim’s event cannot be considered apolitical.

“[The previous messages on the wall] are a conversation that’s happening upon the wall,” Levinson said. “Haverim painted over that, calling for ‘apolitical and inclusive designs.’ How is this continued engagement in a

political discussion apolitical? And how is this approach of attempting to shut down conversation inclusive, or leading to unity?”

By Sunday, Oct. 20, the day after the event, Haverim’s drawings and messages on Walker Wall had been painted over. Days later, a new message had been painted on the wall: “Are you Zionist or ‘political’”?

In response to the message,

Bankier acknowledged that Walker Wall is a free space and that students can do whatever they want on it.

“I’m not going to get upset about people painting over something — I mean, we painted over something too, right?” he said. “We enjoyed ourselves, and we had fun, and I think the people who participated had a lot of fun, and that’s what’s important for us.”

Former Pitzer McConnell worker Adan Campos speaks out about employment termination

KEEANA VILLAMAR

After being fired by Pitzer College last February due to a lack of proper work permits, Adan Campos — former lead cook and sous chef of McConnell Dining Hall — spoke out in an interview with 5C Student & Worker Alliance (CSWA) on the realities of Pitzer’s actions against workers.

On Oct. 24, CSWA posted the interview on Instagram, where Campos discussed the difficulties he faced as a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) worker. DACA is a program championed by the Obama administration that protects some undocumented immigrants from deportation and allows them to obtain work permits for a period

of two years, with opportunities to renew. Earlier this year, while Campos was renewing his expired DACA paperwork so that he could continue working at McConnell, he was fired for not having a work permit. He reapplied a month and a half later with his renewed paperwork.

“They told me I was overqualified for the position and that my ex-coworkers wouldn’t get along with me anymore,”

Campos said in CSWA’s post.

Campos also stated that Pitzer expressed concerns about the possible impacts of the results of the upcoming presidential election; if Trump wins, Campos said, he could terminate DACA, a promise that he attempted to do during his

presidency in 2020.

“Pretty much [Pitzer] just kept giving reasons why I couldn’t go back to a place where I have been for almost a decade,” Campos said. “To my community.”

According to CSWA’s post, Campos lost both his medical and dental insurance after being fired and is now struggling financially. While he has applied for other jobs, he hasn’t had much luck and is currently working around 20 to 25 hours a week through Instawork. When he worked under Pitzer, Campos was putting in over 40 hours a week.

Many students at Pitzer have criticized administrators for their role in Campos’ situation, arguing that their refusal to

rehire Campos does not align with Pitzer’s core value of social responsibility.

“You can’t preach being a social justice school and then unethically lay off your workers,” Lennon Nuttall PZ ’27 said.

Derrick Guardado PZ ’28, a line server at McConnell dining hall, said he empathizes with Campos because he knows firsthand how hard dining hall employees work.

“They’re all a big family at McConnell,” Guardado said.

“For Pitzer to push [Campos] aside and say ‘Hey you can’t work here anymore’ is disrespectful.”

“Pitzer is committed to a fair and consistent process for staff while always adhering to the terms of the union agreement,” they wrote in an email to TSL. In the meantime, CSWA has continued to show support for Campos. Most recently, on Oct. 21, they held a delegation at McConnell. They have also promoted a “Rehire Adan Campos” petition online, which has amassed over 1200 signatures from 5C students, staff and faculty.

“The McConnell workers are all very good and hardworking people,” Guardado said. “They do everything they can to provide for themselves and their family, so it’s important they get the chance to work.”

When asked for comment on Campos’ situation, the college’s communications team stated that it could not comment on the specifics of “confidential personnel matters.”

ANDReW YUAN • THe STUDeNT LIFe

5C Jewish group Haverim painted over Pomona College’s Walker Wall on Saturday, Oct. 19 with “apolitical and inclusive” designs in an attempt to help students feel more comfortable and united on campus.

Claremont McKenna College students

push for demonstration policy evaluation with new working group

On Oct. 9, Claremont McKenna College’s Vice President of Student Affairs Diana Graves sent an email announcing that CMC students could apply to be in a working group to revise the Claremont Colleges Policy on Demonstrations and CMC’s Freedom of Expression Policy. The working group was conceptualized in Apr. 2024, when students at CMC voted on a resolution calling for its establishment.

The working group comes amidst Pomona College President G. Gabrielle Starr’s recent suspension of 12 students for the remainder of the 2024-2025 academic year without complete judicial hearings, and her ban on dozens of non-Pomona 5C students from Pomona’s campus following the vandalism of Carnegie Hall during a pro-Palestinian demonstration on Oct. 7.

According to Graves’ email, CMC’s dean of students met with the authors of the resolution and the president of the Associated Students of CMC (ASCMC) to discuss next steps.

“The meeting was collegial and constructive; all agreed that freedom of expression is of critical importance at CMC and recognized that reasonable limits to what is acceptable or not on our campus should be clearly communicated and broadly un -

derstood,” the email reads. To find the balance between freedom of expression and its limits, student leads in the working group — who work closely with administration and trustees to review current policies and help write new ones — are currently reviewing the existing Claremont Colleges demonstration policy. They are also selecting students for a committee to meet with staff, the president’s cabinet, public safety and CMC’s legal team to assess these policies.

Sofia Arzola SC ’28 said she noticed a significant portion of her classmates in a class on Pomona’s campus were gone, and many students had to join through Zoom. Arzola alleged that the absence of many of the students was due to the bans and suspensions and estimated that the usual class of 35 students was down to 15-20 people.

“That made the class feel incredibly tense and awkward,” Arzola said. “That class meets only once a week, so the time that we do get to spend is really valuable.”

Arzola said she believed that some of the students demonstrating in the Oct. 7 protest were likely unaware of the policies at the 7Cs, noting that students should be made more aware of their rights and responsibilities.

“[I don’t think it’s right] to be suspended and not really have any sort of warnings or know about [the policies] to begin with,” Arzola said. “I feel like it caught a lot of students off guard.”

Arzola added the need for strengthened collaboration between the students and administration to establish respect and understanding between all parties involved.

“At the end of the day, we just want to go to a college that reflects our opinions, but also feel that we can safely express our opinions at that school,” Arzola said.

According to their website, CMC aims to promote “civil dialogue” among students and faculty through several initiatives, including the Marian Miner Cook Athenaeum, Open Academy and the Civility, Access, Resources and Expression (CARE) Center.

According to Elijah Emory-Muhammad CM ’26, CMC’s student leads, who are currently working on the Claremont Colleges demonstration policy, share the same goal of open dialogue, but also have aspirations to create real change.

“They [the administration] tends to leave it there, but we want to have more activism that’s outside of just dialogue, because dialogue by itself isn’t

going to bring change,” Emory-Muhammad said.

Emory-Muhammad shared that as a Black and Muslim-identifying student, he, like many other marginalized students, feels personally impacted by these issues.

“When you come from a marginalized identity, you tend to be on the front lines of wanting to organize and demonstrate,” Emory-Muhammad said.

As a student lead, Emory-Muhammad’s role is to deconstruct, analyze and amend the current policy before pushing it forward to trustees for approval. He noted lessening punishments for students as one of his main priorities.

“In the future, I hope that suspending students is a very, very last resort,“ he said.

He highlighted the power imbalance between administration and students as often being problematic in situations such as calling law enforcement on student demonstrators.

“It’s left to the president to make that final decision if they want the police to arrive on campus,” Emory-Muhammed said. “We feel like that’s a disproportionate amount of power.”

Diana Graves, Vice President of Student Affairs at CMC declined TSL’s request for an interview.

Justin Baker fired from Pitzer College after abusive sexual contact conviction

Continued from page 1

Police initially arrested Baker last March after his flight from Burbank, California, landed at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. His case was later investigated by the FBI and the Port of Seattle Police.

On the flight, Baker was seated beside a young woman in a window seat who he learned “was preparing to go to college and was just 18 years old,” according to a statement by the United States Attorney’s Office.

Court records state that Baker showed the woman sexually explicit text messages on his phone before draping a jacket across his lap and her lower body and groping her over her clothing.

Despite the victim’s attempts to move away and say “No,” Baker continued to grope her even as she left her seat to alert the flight crew. During the trial, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristine Foerster said that Baker “saw the word ‘No’ as a speedbump, not a stop sign.” This is not the first time that Baker has molested someone, according to testimony during the trial. In 2004, Baker — then a youth pastor — attempted to molest a 15-year-old girl underneath a blanket, despite her saying “No.”

Pitzer was unaware of Baker’s past when they hired him in June of 2023, according to the Division of Student Affairs (DSA). He successfully passed the necessary background checks and no issues were found in his records.

The college only learned of the conviction when it became public last week, and the Department of Justice did not contact Pitzer as a part of its investigation, DSA said.

Alayna Session-Goins, Pitzer’s dean of students, said at an Oct. 27 senate meeting that Baker seemed to have kept the situation “under wraps until at the absolute last moment.” She added that anyone who has a negative interaction with staff, faculty or students should report it to Pitzer’s Human Resources or Title IX offices.

U.S. District Judge John C. Coughenour set Baker’s sentencing for Jan. 21, 2025.

Continued from page 1 lege’s Office of Alumni Engagement and Office of Advancement organization are working to address the new staffing gap and move forward in serving Pitzer alumni.

growing threat to the safety and rights of Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish, and other students who refuse to remain silent in the face of oppression.”

Ayloush emphasized CAIRLA’s solidarity with any Pomona students facing backlash for their activism.

“CAIR-LA will continue to stand in solidarity with these students and demand that the college live up to its stated values of diversity, openness, and inclusion,” he said.

CAIR was founded in 1994 in Washington D.C. as a grassroots civil rights organization, but now has regional offices across the country. The organization’s website states that its mission is to “enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.”

However, in the past year, the organization has faced backlash over leaders’ comments on Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel. In Dec. 2023, the Biden administration condemned comments made by the national executive director of CAIR, Nihad Awad, calling them “antisemitic.”

In its Oct. 31 report on Pomona, CAIR pointed to several actions taken by the administration that “raise concern” about the colleges’ claimed “commitment to fostering free speech and protecting its students.” These included the col -

lege’s opposition to a February referendum calling for changes regarding the college’s investments, the arrest of 20 students last April and the introduction of new “safety” regulations and restrictions for fall 2024.

“Institutions of higher education are spaces where students should feel welcome to engage in free speech and open inquiry over the most pressing issues of our time,” Farah Afify, CAIR’s national research and advocacy department coordinator, said in an email to TSL. “From blatantly marginalizing anti-genocide students to calling riot police on student protesters, Pomona College has seemingly betrayed its own mission as an educational institution.”

The report also cited a current investigation that Pomona is undergoing from the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights. The investigation began in August and is looking into whether the college has sufficiently met its Title VI-designated responsibility to properly respond to “alleged harassment” of Palestinian, Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) and Muslim students.

“Pomona College is … creating a campus culture where Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish, and other students who oppose occupation, apartheid, and genocide are forced to choose between their personal safety and their activism,” the

CHLOE ESHAGH

JIAYING CAo • THe STUDeNT LIFe

On Oct. 9, Claremont McKenna’s vice president of student affairs announced the formation of a working group to revise demonstration and freedom of expression policies, following a student resolution, amid tensions from recent disciplinary actions at Pomona College related to a pro-Palestinian demonstration.

CoURTeSY: PomoNA CoLLeGe

An oct. 31 report by an Islamic-American advocacy group named Pomona College as one of several institutions of “particular concern” regarding the administration’s response to Pro-Palestinian organizing over the past year.

report reads. In response to CAIR’s press release, a member of Pomona’s communications team highlighted the college’s stance on maintaining campus climate amidst divisions on campus. “It is the College’s duty to protect free speech, but we will not tolerate discrimination in any form,” Patricia Vest,

chief communications officer, said in an email to TSL.

Student-led teach-in discusses struggles of suspended students, suspension details and next steps

AUDREY

PARK & REILLY COSTELLO

On Oct. 30, Pomona Divest from Apartheid hosted a teach-in webinar about Pomona College President G. Gabrielle Starr’s recent decision to suspend and ban dozens of students who were allegedly involved in the Oct. 7 occupation of Carnegie Hall. At the teach-in, speakers shared information about what students have been experiencing, what their punishments entail and how others can help.

The teach-in, titled, “The Palestine Exception: Pomona’s Violent Repression of Student Speech,” was facilitated by two Pomona students who identified themselves as allies of the suspended students.

The webinar began with a discussion on the current state of free speech at Pomona, with the speakers focusing on three new college policies: the ban on encampments, the requirement of pre approval for protests and the addition of five more Campus Safety officers on campus.

“We see over and over again that when it comes to Palestinian speech, to pro-Palestinian speech, the kind of protections that we see on other types of speech just don’t apply,” Audrey, one of the speakers, said. She described this action as “The Palestine Exception.”

Speakers then moved into a discussion on the recent suspensions and bans, which they described as being “only under Gabrielle Starr’s power.”

Most Pomona disciplinary action goes through the Judicial Council (JBoard) — a student-run conduct body that oversees all aspects of the Pomona College Student Code. According to speakers, though, JBoard was not informed when students received interim suspensions earlier this month. Almost two weeks later, an overwhelming majority of these students received notice that they would be suspended for the remainder of the academic year.

“It’s clear that this kind of activity that happened from Gabrielle Starr is not all related to the truth or to seeking any kind of

restoration,” Audrey said. “It’s purely punitive and is designed to scare other students into not speaking out.” Audrey then discussed the challenges that students have been going through as a result of their suspensions, saying that the situation has contributed to a culture of fear on campus.

“Students facing interim suspensions were deprived of housing, food and access to academics within 12 hours, being forced to leave their dorms with minimal time,” Audrey said. “They’re also not getting any class credit for the work that

they’ve already done. They are not going to be able to graduate, necessarily, on time, and this also means that they’ve been stripped of their opportunities for work.”

According to Audrey, 70 percent of the suspended students are people of color and 40 percent are first-generation or low-income students.

“If we’re claiming to be a multicultural or diverse environment that’s supportive, it shows that Pomona is actually engaging in the demonization of people of color,” Audrey said.

Audrey and a co-facilitator said that students could get in-

Pomona College JBoard hosts

volved by signing a petition by 7C alumni calling on Pomona to divest and “oppose repression of student activists,” emailing and calling Pomona administration and writing impact statements about the suspensions.

“We need to engage in public pressure if we’re to have any hope of bringing our students back,” Audrey said. “They are not a danger to our community, they are an innate part of our community. The importance of public pressure is emphasized, as Pomona relies on its reputation for fairness and inclusivity to maintain its endowment and

recruit new students.”

The teach-in concluded with a Q&A that lasted around 20 minutes.

One attendee asked, “How do we get the upper hand in the fight for divestment? How can we become more radical while also building care?” The speakers opened up the webinar chat for other attendees to share their responses to the question.

“One very good step is to absolutely refuse to engage in condemnations of any actions during Oct. 7 or otherwise,” another attendee responded. “No good cops, no bad protestors.”

information session on judicial process following starr’s unilateral suspension of 12 students

On Tuesday, the Pomona College Judicial Council (JBoard) held a formal presentation about the judicial process following Pomona College President G. Gabrielle Starr’s decision to invoke the Extraordinary Authority of the President and suspend 12 students without judicial processes due to their alleged involvement in the Oct. 7 occupation of Carnegie Hall.

On Oct. 23, Starr announced the suspension of 10 students. Since then, two more students have also been issued full academic-year suspensions.

The session began with an introduction to the Preliminary Sanction Review Board (PSRB), which responds to student petitions about any interim sanctions that they receive. Composed of

two JBoard chairs and two Dean of Students staff members, the PSRB determines through a majority vote whether to uphold or temporarily overturn the sanctions.

A student will then enter either a “full hearing” or a “penalty hearing.” A full hearing is held when the facts of a case are disputed, and a penalty hearing is held when the student agrees to the facts. In either case, the student will make a statement and respond to questions before a panel of JBoard staff, faculty and deans, who will work together on the final disciplinary decision.

“Factors that we consider are any combination of context and factual uncertainty, the proportionality of the interim sanction relative to the alleged violation, the well-being of the respondent

and the entire college community, as well as case history file,” Graham Robbins PO ’27, associate chair of JBoard, said.

However, speakers explained, the aforementioned process may be overridden if the President of Pomona College exercises their extraordinary authority, which is endowed by the Student Code.

“When a case arises, the president is within their power to put forth a sanction and not have the process go through the Judicial Board route that may have otherwise happened,” Cate Pesner PO ’27, associate chair of JBoard, said. “This has happened before.”

When Starr suspended 12 students earlier this month, she exercised her extrajudicial power to do so, meaning that there was no judicial process.

“In conformity with the authority delegated to the president by the Board of Trustees, the severity of the circumstances, and the sweeping effect on our community, these cases are not subject to discipline by the Judicial Council,” Starr said in her email to the community on Oct. 23.

According to the Student Code, extraordinary authority can only be used to ensure “the safety of individuals, the protection of property, and the continuity of the educational process.” In her email, Starr argued that the situation in Carnegie corresponded with these descriptions.

“These actions and events violated the rights of hundreds of students as well as the faculty and staff forced to leave Carnegie, or blocked from their

work,” she said. “The damage to Carnegie, including to teaching infrastructure, was egregious.” The speakers went on to clarify certain misunderstandings, stating that the present JBoard was not involved in the compilation of the demonstration policy or the identification process of students.

Acknowledging that it could be frustrating that the president holds the power to bypass judicial processes, Se’maj Griffin PO ’26, associate chair of JBoard, spoke about how JBoard still holds a prominent influence on the college’s disciplinary decisions.

“It’s not only a student-led, student-run committee, but it also has a unique place within the entire United States educational institutions that trust students to even have such a strong position within the judicial process,” she said.

YUHANG XIE JIAYING CAo

In response to Pomona College President G. Gabrielle Starr’s recent decision to use her extraordinary authority to suspend 12 students, the Queer Resource Center hosted a presentation on the college’s judicial process.

Finding their place: The transfer student experience at the Claremont Colleges

Transferring to the Claremont Colleges offers both challenges and opportunities for students searching for the right academic and social fit. While they navigate obstacles like transferring credits and building connections, transfer students approach this new chapter with resilience and a commitment to making their new campus feel like home.

Calais Poirson PZ ’26

Calais Poirson PZ ’26 transferred from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, in hopes of finding a school with a better environmental science program and more opportunities to spend time outside.

After touring Pitzer College, Poirson said she resonated with the school’s social environment and academic programs.

“Pitzer felt like the right balance between big and small,” she said. “I wanted to be a part of a campus culture that had lots of different vibes, which I think that the 5Cs bring.”

However, upon arriving on campus in August, Poirson said she felt that the academic assistance for transfer students was somewhat lacking, noting that she has an advisor who doesn’t know much about her major.

Nonetheless, she acknowledged the potential difficulty that administrators can face in supporting transfer students, given their unique academic and social position.

“It’s not an easy thing to support somebody who has already been to college once, because I don’t feel like I need the resources that a freshman needs, but I need [some] social sup-

port,” she said. Despite the roadblocks, Poirson said that, over time, she feels she is adjusting to Pitzer’s environment.

“My experience overall has been pretty good,” she said. “I feel like I’m starting to get the hang of things, but I’m definitely taking it pretty slow and doing my own thing.”

Alex Knight, CM ’27

For Alex Knight CM ’27, transferring to Claremont McKenna College meant attending a school that better aligned with his social and academic pursuits.

Knight transferred to CMC during the spring semester of his freshman year following one semester at Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota. He recalled

Scripps Candy Hop marks the beginning of Halloweekend

The morning of Oct. 31, Scripps students participated in the annual Scripps Candy Hop, trickor-treating from various offices around campus in costume.

On Halloween morning, students relived childhood memories while collecting candy from the SAGE offices, the mail center and Human Resources, as well as other campus resource offices.

Starting at 10 a.m., faculty and students dressed as Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” characters, pumpkins, the Statue of Liberty and many more creative costumes, walked from office to office. Onlookers walking to class or from breakfast joined the crowd of trick-or-treaters, chatting about their costumes and shared excitement for Halloween. Small groups and crowds also circled around tables, reminiscing about their favorite candies from childhood.

Maria Mancera, the executive assistant to the president and the organizer of the Candy Hop, said the event fosters a sense of belonging and is highly anticipated every year.

“Over the last couple of years, more offices have joined in hosting treats for the Candy Hop, which creates an ‘open house’ environment and invites our community into spaces they may not have thought to visit before,” Mancera said.

At the Claremont Colleges, the sheer volume of available resources can be daunting for students. Locating these offices is just the first step, but through the Candy Hop, students have gained a deeper sense of community by putting faces to these resources. These offices became easier for Scripps students to seek out in the future.

Students were particularly mesmerized by the cauldron

bubbling over outside of the LASPA Center for Leadership.

“Having stops at multiple offices across campus is valuable in many ways. For students, it is a fun and easy way to visit campus resources and learn what each space is like. It’s an opportunity for us as staff to connect with more students,” Shaafi Farooqi, a Scripps career counselor at Career Planning & Resources, said.

The Candy Hop is a tradition that encompasses many of Scripps’ core values of community and accessibility.

“I like seeing people dress up and take part in traditions,” Meghan Curran, a Scripps mail center supervisor, said.

Students appreciated connecting with faculty and staff in a non-official and non-academic context. It can make the community feel closer, and make Scripps’ amazing staff more approachable.

Trick-or-treating is a cherished tradition, but many students said they outgrew it. The practice of walking from door to door asking for candy suddenly seems out of style, and has lost its allure to many.

On campus, students are isolated from the Halloween buzz that is familiar to residential neighborhoods and towns.

Come 9:00 p.m., students don’t line the streets in Halloween costumes; instead, they cram last-minute homework before a night out or host movie nights with friends. However, in the safety of Scripps College, it is nice for those who reminisce to partake in the Candy Hop.

“With midterms and everything becoming more stressful, it is really nice to kind of be a kid again and go trick-ortreating,” Emma Sweeney SC ’27 said.

really just putting yourself out there in every way that you can [and] prioritizing your happiness and the relationships that you build.”

William Huh PO ’26

William Huh PO ’26 is a second-semester sophomore at Pomona College. Coming from Santa Monica College, a large, commuting school, Huh said he cherishes the closely-knit residential community and academic environment that Pomona offers.

“Everybody lives in the dorms, you get to interact with people in small class sizes, and getting to know everybody seems really fun,” he said.

While Huh said he was glad that he could transfer a lot of credits from his former college, he explained certain difficulties in trying to navigate course registration.

the small, isolated nature of Carleton, citing the cold weather and the school’s social dynamics as reasons for transferring.

“Carleton was this eclectic mix of kids, all of whom were very smart, but there was no sort of cohesion at all,” Knight said.

Upon arriving at CMC, he said he quickly found the campus culture to be much more inviting.

“My immediate impressions were that everyone was so much nicer,” he said. “Everyone seems really, really happy.”

He also included some advice to future transfer students, suggesting getting involved with the campus community quickly.

“I think you have to approach everything with a really open mindset,” Knight said. “It’s [about]

“I wish someone were there to help transfer students on that morning [of registration], it was stressful,” Huh said. “The school could also be a little clearer on how former classes can count towards my major.”

Huh also mentioned that since many opportunities are restricted to freshmen and sophomores, transfer students can face limitations in their opportunities and time at Pomona, which adds extra pressure to the transfer experience.

“Pomona students are so lucky, as there’s so many things you can do here for four years,” Huh said.

“When you come in with two years as a transfer, it feels a little rushed. So you’re kind of like, ‘Oh, let me join five clubs, oh, I have to get the right classes,’ et cetera.”

Aside from all the uncertainties, Huh has found a home in the transfer community and the third floor of Smiley Hall, where the majority of transfer students are placed. A tight space, a friendly air and a common hope for inclusion bond them together.

Jerry Li HM ’25

Jerry Li HM ’25 reflected on the bittersweet journey of transferring to Harvey Mudd College from Pasadena City College.

“I heard that I can take courses from all other 5Cs, that’s one of the advantages,” Li said. “Also, it’s a small college, so it’s much easier to establish a close relationship with your professors.”

While Li enjoyed the orientation alongside freshmen, he often struggled to connect with his own cohort. However, he mentioned that there is action being taken through the implementation of social events connecting new transfer students to their transfer upperclassmen, as well as meetings to solve present issues. Though, according to him, these are quite not enough.

“[The social events] wouldn’t satisfy the need for institutional support, as I may focus on a very different academic path as the new students do,” he said.

Another issue Li had was not receiving enough academic support in transferring course credits and demonstrating his previous experience to the college. For future improvements, he suggested improving academic support for transfer students and designing orientation events catered to the transfer experience.

Vincent Valdez discusses how art can counter apathy

Vincent Valdez stood below a projected image of his painting “The City I” — depicting a Klan gathering in black and white — and referenced a quote attributed to Gore Vidal: “We are the United States of amnesia; We learn nothing because we remember nothing.”

On Oct. 24, Valdez spoke at the Benson Auditorium for this year’s Pitzer College Art Galleries Pepper Distinguished Visiting Artist and Scholar Lecture.

Valdez’s work, much of which takes the form of large-scale figurative painting, takes up the mantle of remembering — of filling in gaps, bearing witness against disappearances within the narrative of American history.

“Art holds truth,” audience member Ashe West Lewis PZ ’26 said. “Art relating to political movements really brings more life to them.”

In his fight against collective amnesia, and towards truth, Valdez often takes his home state of Texas as a site of observation. Growing up in San Antonio, he remembers visiting The Alamo — a historic mission-turned-fortress and symbol of Texan freedom — as a child.

“Growing up in a state like Texas … there’s this level of, you know, for lack of a better word, indoctrination,” Valdez said. “When you grow up around the sort of mythology of something like the Alamo, this sort of mythical sort of escapism that we see a lot of in a region like Texas, there’s this idea of fighting for one’s own birthright and freedom and liberty.”

At the same time as it embodies a collective desire to forget, Texas and its communities are often forgotten in the national narrative and formation of American identity. The state seems to be always at the edge of America.

“I made it a mission to do anything that I could to try to get my story as well as the story of my

community to be recognized, not only inside the studio but within the contemporary art world,” Valdez said. “And I think that 20 years later, you know, I’m still on the same quest and it’s still just as challenging as it was.”

His series of large-scale paintings “The Strangest Fruit” (2013), for example, takes as its subject the oft-forgotten lynchings of Mexican Americans in the American Southwest, from Southern California down to South Texas. Men in contemporary clothes float in the center of each canvas as if hanging. The noose, in each portrait, is implied but invisible — present but unseen. Several paintings from the series now hang in the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, Texas.

Speaking about a 2019 painting of his grandparents, “People of the Sun (Grandparents Santana),” Valdez elucidated the role of his work as testimony; the double portrait tells the story of “[his]family, [his] community, the Chicano community, the American Southwest.”

The artist’s grandparents, looking straight ahead, are framed by a blue bed sheet.

“Coming from a long line of storytellers, my role … is to use the human figure and the portrait as a catalyst for telling stories,” Valdez said. “I think that everything I need in terms of constructing a narrative can be told through a single pair of hands, or a face and torso.”

Valdez has conceptualized art as a witness since he started painting at a young age.

“I was so drawn to the world around me that I wanted to put it all down on record,” he said. “Leave a visual testimony to what it was that I was experiencing, what I was feeling, as I began maturing.”

When he was 10 years old, Valdez watched the 1987 film “Platoon” in a silent theater and felt compelled to not only leave a visual record but also captivate his audience.

“I thought, ‘That’s what I want to do,’” he said. “I have to find a way to pull a viewer in so much that you feel something, I can’t help

but think that at a moment like this, it rings more true than it ever has for me personally.”

This sensitivity to audience seems central to how Valdez conceptualizes his work. While some other artists create without audience in mind, he considers who needs to see his work — who needs to look at what they might not want to.

At the same time, though, Valdez thinks about who will likely see the work — where these paintings will actually hang, and who will own them in the contemporary art world. The artist’s mother, he said, upon seeing “The City I,” asked him what she was supposed to be seeing that she didn’t already know.

Valdez’s lecture came two weeks before the general election, Pitzer Art Galleries Director Emily Butts noted. The issues of national identity and American empire that he addresses are increasingly at the forefront of viewers’ minds.

“[Valdez’s] work … feels even more urgent during an election season when we are asked to reflect on our nation’s past, present and future through powerful visual narratives,” Butts said.

However, Valdez says his work confronts an apathy and violence that pervades American life at all times — beyond any election season.

“These are numbing times,” he said. “[It’s] overwhelming every day … It’s hard to feel anything but a sense of apathy. That’s the true danger and the real threat. I think that goes far beyond any kind of election. It’s the risk of giving in, as a collective, to apathy.”

He aims to jolt viewers out of this malaise, and to reject the notion that art is passive. Art is a real world practice; it can, and must, counter apathy and amnesia. Valdez ended his lecture by imploring his audience to continue this work.

“I think that artists have always historically been the messengers, right?” he said. “Great artists, actors, poets … they are the ghosts that constantly remind us to keep fighting. Question everything, find solutions, find ways of uplifting each other. You can’t throw in the towel.”

CoUrTeSY: CLAremoNT mCKeNNA CoLLeGe

SCARLET ANDERSON & YUHANG XIE

NADIA HSU

eSHA CHAmPSI • THe STUDeNT LIFe

JIAYING

AUDREY GREEN

born in San Antonio, Texas, vincent valdez’s work explores themes of social justice and historical memory.

Transferring to the Claremont Colleges can be a journey filled with new opportunities and challenges.

The annual Scripps Candy Hop has students trick-or-treating from various offices around campus, boosting relations between administration and students.

Arts & Culture

Elders & Gen-Z can be friends: Pilgrim Place brings Claremont elderly and 5C students together

LISA GORELIK

“So what have you learned about American culture this time?” That is the question that my 78-year-old friend Ken posed to me during our monthly meetup. Kenneth (Ken) Frank, a Harvey Mudd College graduate of 1968, is a resident at Pilgrim Place, a retirement community just a few blocks west of our campuses. During a Napier Initiative class at Scripps College last year, we were lucky to have three elderly co-learners from Pilgrim Place join our “Philosophy of Feminism” course. Although Ken was not a student in the class, as a class we visited Pilgrim Place for lunch, where I first met him. I still remember the amount of care and attention that was extended to me during that meal. All of the Pilgrim Place residents that surrounded my table were extraordinarily accomplished academics, artists and activists, yet they took so much interest in me and my story.

Ken and I did not speak to each other much during the lunch, but towards the conclusion of the meal we bonded over our shared interest in culture. Ken lived and taught mathematics in Turkey for 30 years, and he excitedly asked me many questions about my own upbringing in Russia. We ended up being the last two people to leave the dining room, and we have not stopped talking since. Before I met Ken, I had never had a friend from a different generation, let alone someone who was 50 years older than me. Like many students at the Claremont Colleges, I had gone straight from the high school bubble into the college bubble, with minimal opportunity for interaction with people in the “real world.” Therefore, almost all of my social interactions were limited to people who are the same age as me, or at least the same generation. I had never expected how

much I would cherish an intergenerational friendship. Ken and I talk about everything: family, friends, school, aspirations, religion, politics, art and we both learn from each other. My conversations with Ken are nothing like the ones with my friends in college. He is the person that I get excited to share a new cultural discovery with, or bounce off ideas about my Senior Thesis, or tell him about my hopes and dreams for the future. Ken listens to me patiently, he makes me feel optimistic about the life ahead of me. I share my friendship story with Ken in an attempt to convince you that you should make friends across generational boundaries. Especially in college, where we are solely surrounded by other students in social settings, it is exciting to mix things up and have a diverse social network. And Claremont is the perfect place to do it, because of Pilgrim Place’s close proximity to our campuses.

Many of the Pilgrim Place residents are Claremont College graduates, and one of my favorite questions to ask Ken is about how campus culture has changed since his college years. As Claremont students, we have this connection to Pilgrim Place residents, and it is about time we started to take advantage of it.

We are in luck, because next weekend (Nov. 8-9, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.), Pilgrim Place will be hosting their 76th Festival on their campus. The Festival is free admission and features over 40 booths selling crafts produced by the residents of Pilgrim Place, such as pottery, weaving, jewelry, silverware, stained glass, wood working, quilts and art. Apart from the crafts on sale, the festival features kid-friendly activities and food. It is the perfect opportunity for us to meet and befriend some Pilgrim Place residents.

All of the proceeds from the Festival will go to the Resident Health and Support Program, according to Joyce Yarborough, the former

vice president of advancement at Pilgrim Place.

“[The fund] is for residents who have had perhaps very modest incomes, or who have had expensive medical procedures or unexpected expenses,” Yarborough said.

Frank said the resident community is very supportive of each other.

“For all residents, I think the idea that they’re contributing to a fund that will help residents who run out of money is a big motivating factor,” she said. “From what I hear, this is not a common thing in a lot of retirement communities, to have residents club together like that to create such a fund.”

Apart from providing a fun day of communal bonding, the Festival’s broader vision is to support its most vulnerable members.

Yarborough described how the Festival supports Pilgrim Place’s mission.

“One, you will never be asked to leave if you can’t afford to pay rent,” Yarborough said. “And two, we want everyone to live with dignity. Those are two important parts of the ethos of Pilgrim Place — the caring for one another and the willingness to support a neighbor, that’s pretty unique.”

Frank emphasized the importance of the Festival to Pilgrim Place residents.

“We call ourselves a standalone community,” she said. “That’s how people want it to be able to continue, but the costs of things keep going up so dramatically. That’s why we work hard at the Festival.”

This is the first year that the Pilgrim Place Festival is back in full swing after a pause during the pandemic and a scaled down pilot test last year, so let’s show our support.

As members of the Claremont community, we should feel compelled to support our neighbors, especially those who are going through a difficult time. So come to the Festival — even if you do not purchase anything, a friendly smile, a polite “hello” or a brief conversation can raise spirits. Who knows, maybe you will even find your own Ken.

Cheez-It mission, complete!

Growing up, I was never the biggest Taco Bell fan. That completely changed this semester. Little did I know that come October of this year, the fast food chain’s Big Cheez-It would hold the special place in my heart that it now does.

It all started when a few friends and I were driving back to Claremont after spontaneously watching a performance of “Waitress” at a theater in La Mirada. It was late at night and people were hungry, so we stopped by a Taco Bell drive-thru on our way back to campus. As we were figuring out what to order, one friend quickly noticed something called Big Cheez-It on the menu.

After laughing and attempting to visualize how big a Big CheezIt would actually be, we ordered one along with our Baja Blasts and burritos, cackling when it came out. In many ways, Big CheezIt looks like a normal Cheez-It, square-shaped with crinkled edges and the customary orange color, but also enlarged to the size of my hand!

I snapped a blurry photo of my friends holding the giant orange cracker before we all broke off a piece and dug in. It was simply the perfect addition to an altogether silly night.

Acquiring this ridiculous Cheez-It was the end to an already ridiculous series of events. Our decision to see “Waitress” together was incredibly last minute, and two of the friends who came had zero idea what the musical was about; I accidentally bit one of them in the car; we almost couldn’t find the theater.

To top this chaotic night off, now we were sharing a giant Cheez-It at midnight on our way back to school. I remember chuckling to myself at the end of night, thinking, “this is such a college memory.”

Flash forward to a few days later, when some of my other friends and I were trying to figure out what dessert to bring to a friend’s belated birthday dinner

celebration. After learning through the grapevine that he was a fan of Cheez-Its, my mind was made up. “We have to get him the Taco Bell Big Cheez-It,” I told my friends.

I laugh now because the plan to get this friend a Big Cheez-It had some major hiccups. At first, he offered to pick up the Taco Bell order which contained his secret Cheez-It, forcing us to construct a web of white lies to prevent him from ruining the surprise. Eventually, though, after convincing the birthday boy that he in fact did not need to pick up the order for us, the rest of the mission went according to plan. After my friend Kayla grabbed the food and rushed to our dinner spot, we presented him with the giant cracker while singing a belated happy birthday. As he held the Cheez-It, I played a video of birthday candles being lit on my phone.

The birthday Cheez-It mission was ultimately a success, and as silly as it sounds, I am so grateful to this giant cracker. Thinking about my first encounter with Big Cheez-It — as the finale to a chaotic night with friends — to the spectacle it took to acquire one for a friend’s birthday, the quintessentially orange cracker has reminded me just how silly and ridiculous college life can be at times. Sometimes, when I am in the thick of thesis-writing and worrying about grad school applications, I desperately need these reminders. School can be stressful; planning for post-grad life can be stressful. Some days, though, all you need to do is laugh with those you love about a giant Cheez-It.

As we continue to trudge through the fall semester, then, I hope this story not only encourages you all to try Taco Bell’s Big Cheez-It (there’s a Taco Bell in Montclair and Upland!), but that it also makes you laugh amidst the stress. These are the kind of moments that are getting me through the remaining weeks of the semester and reminding me why college life is so special.

Emily Kim PO ’25 is from Irvine, California. She would like to formally apologize to Elia Ching CMC ’27 for accidentally biting him in the car on the way to see “Waitress.”

The brilliant, doomed marketing of ‘Longlegs’

CW: Mentions of murder, suicide

If you were driving in Los Angeles this summer, you may have seen it: a mysterious billboard showing a sliver of a pale face and a phone number. No other information.

Curious commuters who dialed the number heard a prerecorded message of heavy breathing and a reedy, strained voice murmuring, “There she is. What’s your name, little angel? Nice to meet you. I’ll be waiting.” Gross!

On June 14, a coded, Zodiac-like message was printed “at the request of Longlegs” in The Seattle Times. The message pointed readers to TheBirthdayMurders.net, a Web 1.0-style true crime website detailing the victims of a decades-long string of supposed murder-suicides.

The internet loves a mystery. People with too much time on their hands

quickly pieced together that these clues were part of a viral marketing campaign for the latest serial killer horror film from director Osgood Perkins, “Longlegs” (2024).

After the movie opened in theaters, it quickly became the highest grossing indie film of the year. Much of that success is owed to the attention-grabbing marketing campaign, which was shortlisted for a Clio Award, the Oscars of advertising.

After several reviews called it the scariest movie of the year, or even the decade, I spent three months psyching myself up to watch it. One fateful day in September, I gathered some friends, pulled on an adult diaper and braved “Longlegs.”

But when the end credits rolled, my overwhelming feeling was one of baffled disappointment. What did I just watch? And where was the movie I had been promised?

While it’s probably unfair to project our grubby audience expectations onto a director’s art baby, the reality is that almost nobody walks into a movie theater completely blind. Audiences, myself included, approached “Longlegs” already hyped up by its marketing and loaded with preconceptions.

Trailers largely billed the film as a procedural mystery with some occult flavor. Its most obvious ancestor is “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991), a comparison which “Longlegs” frequently invoked in both its marketing and the film itself. Both movies follow rookie female FBI agents hunting an elusive serial killer through ’90s rural America, and both wrestle with gendered violence and our failures to shelter innocence from the evil of the world.

In one of the first scenes of “Longlegs,” Agent Lee Harker sits on the floor of a dark office puzzling over a collage of disturbing clues: encoded satanic messages in children’s birthday cards, haunting crime scene polaroids, unnerving 911 call recordings. Dozens of fathers who, without warning, butchered their families, then themselves. Each murder-suicide seems unconnected to the others, except for a note left at each scene pointing to a mastermind known only as Longlegs.

But there’s no evidence Longlegs was ever inside the houses. So how did he do it?

I settled in for a tightly-wound mystery, eager to see how each clue would fall into place. There was just one loophole: Harker is psychic. She quickly decodes all the messages, which barely end up mattering anyway, as she can sense where to look without them. As the web of mystery begins to

fall apart, that’s when I knew “Longlegs” was about to go straight to hell.

While they’re often paired together, the horror and mystery genres require different approaches to handling the unknown (the concept, not the thing from the Glasgow Wonka Experience).

Horror taps into humanity’s instinctual fear of the unknown by keeping the “big scary thing” in the dark for as long as possible, letting our imaginations run wild with horrible possibilities. If horror is all shadow, a good mystery wields a spotlight, requiring a satisfying reveal where every question is answered.

So creating an effective horror mystery is a tall order: when it’s unmasked, the threat not only has to make sense, but it has to be even more terrifying in the light of day than the audience imagined. Avoiding spoilers, there is one location-based reveal in “Longlegs” that pulls off this difficult combination. But for the most part, the horror and mystery elements work against each other. What should be compelling clues are quickly rendered irrelevant by Harker’s psychic shortcuts.

When the fine machinations of evil’s plot are fully revealed, it more closely resembles a convoluted Rube Goldberg machine. And there’s nothing scary about a Rube Goldberg machine.

The story, which started as haunting and understated, slowly unraveled until all that remained sounded more like the premise to a cheesy Blumhouse flick about spooky dolls. “Longlegs” is chock full of suspenseful moments and eerily beautiful imagery, but it all hits harder in the trailers — when they don’t have to explain any of it.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the film’s handling of the killer himself, played by Nicolas Cage, who should loom over the narrative as a mythic, unknowable presence. The trailers understood this, even censoring his face in marketing materials to build up intrigue.

But twenty minutes into the movie, we’re getting well-lit shots of Longlegs’ whole face constantly — Longlegs driving to town, Longlegs putzing around a hardware store. If I wanted to see a pasty freak being off-putting in public, I would just look in the mirror. Each time he shows up and sings (yes, he sings — a lot), a piece of that horrific unknown falls away, until the embodiment of evil is just Nicolas Cage hamming it up in a greasy wig.

But here’s the greatest twist of all: I rewatched “Longlegs” this week, and I enjoyed it.

After the hype of summer marketing had died down, I was able to watch the movie on its own terms, and finally found myself being pulled into its bleak, claustrophobic world.

The plot still fell apart like wet tissue paper, but I started to understand that maybe Oz Perkins wanted me to feel disappointed. Promises are worthless, the film seemed to say; both the promise of a parent to protect their child from evil and the promise of a movie trailer. There is no satisfying resolution, no clues that build to understanding. The deepest evil evades such pedestrian things as easy answers, or good films. Hail Satan.

Niko Kay Smith is a dirtsy, flirtsy ol’ angel bitch. ‘A Nightmare on 6th St’ is TSL’s horror column, where Niko covers their journey from scaredy cat to rabid horror fan, one movie at a time.

STeLLA robINSoN • THe STUDeNT LIFe

EMILY KIM

SHIXIAo YU • THe STUDeNT LIFe

NIKO KAY SMITH

A NIGHTmAre oN 6TH ST

A guide to celebrating Halloweekend with your parents

It’s Halloweekend — you’re excited, your friends are excited, everyone is putting on their costumes and preparing for night-long festivities; all of a sudden you get a text reminding you that you’ve got family dinner in the Village at 7 p.m.

This year, Halloweekend takes place on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday following the last day of October. Scarily enough, for Pomona College students, Family Weekend – when families of current students are welcomed to campus – happens to fall at the same time. Halloweekend is the time for partying and celebrating with friends and strangers alike. Dressing up in masks and costumes, you can be anyone you want.

But your parents have known you your whole life — you can’t put on a mask around them. Even their presence alone can make us revert to our most vulnerable childhood selves, which may diminish the Halloweekend fun of masquerading — how are we supposed to enjoy a thrilling Halloween combined with a wholesome Family Weekend?

Merging these two events demonstrates the impact of college in shaping who we become as adults, and calls into question our obligations to our families.

My family lives across the country on the East Coast, I know no one from my hometown at any of the Claremont Colleges and my closest high school friend is in Ohio. So, college has been a way for me to try out a new life and see if I can exist as the person that I created on my own. When I first arrived in Claremont, I wondered if I should go by another name — I’d always been called my nickname “Ellie,” but what if I decided to be “Elisa,” my birth name? I could also dye my hair bright pink, claim I only drink black coffee in the mornings and be super outgoing all the time. No one would expose me for pretending to be something I’m not. Because in college, you’re not anything at first.

In an assignment for my Critical Inquiry seminar, a required first-year course for Pomona students, I wrote about one of my friends from high school. I sent my final draft to this friend, and after reading the essay she responded, “I was so happy to be referred to as ‘hometown friend who enjoys playing video games and reading philosophy’ because I’ve been existing as a shell of a human being with no defining characteristics for the last month and it kind of reminded me of all of the living I’d done prior to

Why I chose a major of passion over one of prestige

My plan when I started at Claremont McKenna College was straightforward. I would major in International Relations and then move back to D.C.. There, I would work on Capitol Hill in Foreign Services, earning a six-figure salary. Ideally, this would offer me both stability and financial success, two goals that I desperately clung onto.

Almost immediately, shit hit the fan. My government classes were dull, and while my classmates attentively listened to my esteemed professors with an inspired gleam in their eyes, I couldn’t help but feel like I was wasting my time in classes where I had to actively work to keep my head up off the table. I felt myself languishing in my freshman year major as the spark that once kept my love of learning aflame threatened to engulf me in a raging blaze of ennui.

I needed to extinguish the dumpster fire that was my academic lethargy. The only problem was that the future my true passion could offer me was as unstable as a supernova. I can fly through life burning the fuel of creative fulfillment that writing affords me, but am I destined to eventually burst into a choking cloud of unmet dreams? Nevertheless, to my parents’ dismay, I’m not one to listen to rational warnings.

My heart told me to major off-campus at Scripps, and so I requested permission to cross-audit as a Writing and Rhetoric Major. There, I met dozens of other aspiring writers who, like me, preferred to spend their days typing out a new story, coffee mug in hand. Following my passion in choosing my major has stoked the embers of my past love for learning and reignited my drive to fight for my future.

I no longer dread attending class. The classes in my major engage me, and I look forward to my professors’ critiques, ready to face any challenges head-on. As for my other pre-requisite or General Education classes, the inspiration my major provides me with motivates me to get my work done in classes I may not be as interested in.

The euphoria that the Writing and Rhetoric major gives me is a far prettier picture than the one of professional success that I had in mind when I entered freshman year. While stability and financial success are goals that I still need to keep in mind, I decided that the excitement I should feel when I come to class each morning matters

coming here … so yay!”

Halloweekend is a fun time to test out new personalities, picking and choosing who to be for a night; no one cares who you are and half of the student body won’t even remember the next day. But there is also some comfort in having your parents remind you that “you” still exists.

It’s easy to feel like a shell of a human being and question who you are — whatever that might be — when we don’t have people around to keep us in check, affirming and remembering who we were in our past lives.

I have an older cousin in the class above me at Pomona. Although we’re second cousins, and I just really met him a couple of weeks ago, I feel a little more at ease when I’m in clubs or collegiate spaces with him. It’s nice having this stranger who assumes a sort of older brother figure; I can’t put up a facade without feeling silly, just because he’s family.

While college is a place to test out new ways of life, it’s possible — and maybe more comfortable — to sometimes revert to being your hometown self. Around family and childhood friends, we don’t have to justify ourselves or exert energy towards becoming an idealized, adult version of ourselves.

Instead, we can just slip back

into the person we used to be.

So, my best advice? Make sure you have a diverse array of costumes ready for all of your different selves. There are three days (four if you count this past Thursday on actual Halloween). Prepare to separate your morning and night outfits, and personalities, accordingly. Spend your nights enjoying yourself with your friends, but give your mornings to your fam-

just as much. Although majoring in Writing and Rhetoric may lead me on a meandering path, I know that my life becomes more vibrant as I accept the kind of student that I was meant to be.

There are various pressures many students face when committing to a major: an uncertain job market and economy, parental pressure, family legacies, financial instability. While I may not fully grasp the gravity of many of these pressures, I can certainly empathize. My parents would feel much more secure if they knew I was going into investment banking, as my future bank account is wholly dependent on my income rather than generational wealth. When I arrived at college, I felt like I needed to rely on my two goals of stability and economic success. After all, these were the two values my parents instilled in me from a young age. It felt safer to choose a path that they had already forged than to tread the road not taken.

Picking a major is one of the first real choices we make without our parents. If I hated my major, then I would have an excuse to fall back on if I ended up failing. My parents pressured me to become an International Relations major, and so I thought I could fool myself into thinking that the blame would lie with them instead of just me.

By deciding to be a Writing and Rhetoric major, my failures will be fully my own, but so will my accomplishments. After all, I don’t believe that stability and money are more valuable than my own happiness. I alone possess the pen that can write my own definition of success — which I’m sure will continue to evolve.

I encourage you to reflect on your goals, but also to remind yourself of your personal autonomy and fight back against external pressures. As we grow into adults, we are the only ones with the definitive power to mold our futures, and choosing a major that you love is just the first of many tough decisions.

Fortunately, in the wake of internal conflict comes the freedom to mature into the people who we aspire to be.

Norah Mannle CM ’27 hails from the suburbs of Washington DC. In her free time she enjoys long walks, critiquing new coffee shops and skiing.

ilies. Let them treat you to brunch, laugh at the dad jokes and wear your old high-school T-shirts. Relish the opportunity to be a kid again. There is no reason to perform: your parents already know that “you” aren’t that cool anyway.

Ellie Chi PO ’28 is from Clarksville, Maryland. Her New Year’s resolution is always to be more honest and she honestly really enjoys reading “The Catcher in the Rye.”

Benton sustainable fashion show revamps the runway

On the evening of Oct. 24, students flocked to Pomona College’s sustainable fashion show “Harvesting Tomorrow’s Wardrobe,” filling the chairs surrounding the makeshift runway at the Benton Museum of Art. The warm glow from the museum’s interior offered a respite from mid-semester malaise. Guests formed a lively border around the runway and camera flashes twinkled in the periphery.

The show, a collaboration between the Walker Free Room, Pomona College EcoReps and the Benton, continues the 5Cs’ tradition of incorporating social issues into fashion. With fashion so closely tied to consumerism, the designers sought to combat the fashion industry’s cycles of rapid consumption and waste.

Four groups of designers showcased their collections, and two groups recruited student runway models to join the designers as they walked. Models emerged from the belly of the Benton and strode or danced between the lines of attendees, displaying their attitude and attire.

The buzz among the audience was palpable. Applause, cheers, “oohs” and “ahhs” came from all directions.

“It was super cool to see everyone’s work, especially the models because they add their own pizzazz to each walk,” Evelyn Salgado PO ’27, who attended last spring’s runway, said.

Veteran and first-time designers showcased collections of varying sizes and levels of intricacy. Some looks were sparse, worn by models with dark eye makeup and intense, brooding expressions. By contrast, a harvest-inspired collection brought forth colorful pastoral wear, where models embodied the essence of a halcyon autumn afternoon with their carefree walks.

The thematic continuity of each collection was strong, in plain defiance of the limitations sustainability presented. Ruth Metcalfe PO ’25, a designer,

said she found those limitations energizing and liberating rather than constricting. “There’s so much fabric and clothes that already exist,” Metcalfe said. “It’s really amazing to get to turn something that would otherwise kind of be thrown away into something that people like really love and enjoy … and feel good in.”

Metcalfe’s collection, inspired by the night sky, exposed the sustainable side of the clothing. Two of her dresses had a theme of white additions to dark base layers: one with an open seam motif, reflecting the process of reconstruction. Bobby pins speckled the area around white rifts in the dark colored fabric like a field of stars. The other flaunted a multi-layered ragged hem, added to make a reused fabric less transparent.

“It was cool because it turned something that you couldn’t necessarily wear out and about into something that you can,” Metcalfe said. The collections brimmed with evidence of the past lives of their fabrics — patchwork sewn onto thrifted pieces, repurposed cut-up fabrics and painted, distressed or repaired pieces. All the designers frankensteined their second-hand materials into collections which came alive throughout the show.

Zyad Sibai PO ’27, a dancer skilled in styles from modern to hip-hop to Afro, was Metcalfe’s movement director, model and creative partner for her collection.

“[Sustainable fashion] allows you to not really care much about how much [the clothing] costs and to use it and see where it goes,” Sibai said. “If you end up losing out on that piece, it’s fine — it was sitting in a closet. You might as well have shot your shot with it.”

Metcalfe created her first collection in the two years since Roe v. Wade was overturned, integrating themes catalyzed by the shock and horror of the ruling. She said this collection was not inspired by necessity.

“There’s a lot of beauty in the night and a lot of perspective you can get from looking at [it],” Metcalfe said. “When I think about the

night, I have a lot of fond memories. I went abroad and did a sailing trip. And on that trip, we spent a lot of time with the night sky.”

One would be remiss in imagining only dark colors. Rather than focusing solely on visual aspects, her creative process centered on evoking emotions and personalities. In collaboration with Sibai, Metcalfe followed a process she called “conceptualization mapping:” interrogating a character, a feeling, or an experience.

“[Sibai] helped me figure out one of the looks was kind of inspired by the feeling of coldness on your skin, about snow falling at night; how silent that is,” Metcalfe said, referring to the look of Abimbola Adekoya PO ’25, a white shirt with a blue star.

Sibai’s runway look consisted of two laced sleeves that bound together, a beaded top, a bandana cover-up, brown denim, black boots and a keychain necklace.

“My character was more about being the dark and the unknown,” Sibai said. “Our conceptualization mapping was a lot more of being able to know, for me at least, as a movement director, how to weave in the characters. In the walk, in the poses and in the essence that they would carry on their face.”

One might assume that Metcalfe’s collection took years of rigorous planning, but that wasn’t exactly the case.

“My creative process with these fashion shows is I kind of just sign up for it, without having pieces made,” Metcalfe said. “It gives me a deadline to make all these pieces and then it’s actually really fun because then I just let my creativity do its thing.”

While Metcalfe has more experience than many, she stressed the feasibility of design. She believes that anyone willing to commit can achieve similar results, even without a complex hundred-step plan or a fully-formed, divine vision.

“Creativity is just this wonderful thing that I don’t feel like can really be encapsulated in words,” Metcalfe said. “It’s a combination of you, the universe, some vision you have, and you just have to let that flow and trust the process.”

SHIXIAo YU • THe STUDeNT LIFe

ELLIE CHI

NORAH MANNLE

ALeXANDrA GrUNbAUm • THe STUDeNT LIFe

PARKER DEVORE

CoUrTeSY: CAroLYN CoYNe

SCHooL SUrvIvAL GUIDe

Designers

The ‘if he wanted to, he would’ mentality is holding women back

This past week, I eagerly awaited updates while my twin, Lucy, played matchmaker for my older sister Vivian. My twin’s friend’s roommate’s brother (I know, a mouthful) happens to be single, so my twin connected them through phone numbers.

Three days later, Lucy broke the disappointing news that neither of them had made a move. It is completely normal for both people to be nervous to initiate romance, but Vivian’s mindset indicated a misled sense of self-respect:

“I’m not asking him out. If he wanted to, he would.”

My twin and I agonized over this misguided reasoning — this logic is the opposite of uplifting. It harkens back to traditional gender roles in heterosexual relationships. The idea that a man bears the responsibility of initiating romance with a woman continues to pervade society, with straight women 3.5 times less likely to send the first message via dating apps compared to straight men.

Too many women, including my sister, are depriving themselves of the chance to discover someone worthwhile by failing to put themselves out there.

By accepting traditional gender norms, women who seek relationships with men may limit their own control and autonomy in shaping their romantic lives. Women interested in men should strive to make the first move and recognize proactivity for what it is: empowering.

There’s validity behind many women’s fear of making the first move. Deeply ingrained societal gender roles have had serious repercussions on how heterosexual women approach romantic situations. It’s a lot to ask of a woman to move past these traditional views when it’s all they have heard from the media and older generations.

The idea of being sought after by a man is enticing for many women, and there is a commonly held belief that being the first to make a move signifies desperation.

However, it wasn’t fear that led Vivian to her stance. Rather, it was reassurance that she was doing the best thing for herself

by not making the first move.

Many women believe they are above putting themselves on the line for a man and deserve to be pursued rather than be the one to initiate.

While it’s important to know your own worth, this ideology shows blatant disrespect for your time, interests and emotions. By abdicating one’s power, men assume total authority over if a date will happen, while women suppress what they truly want.

Women interested in men are doing themselves a disservice by smothering strong emotions they have for a guy. It’s illogical to frame suppression as selfworth. Every woman looking to

date a man must take a chance on themselves when they like someone — that’s self-respect.

Let’s imagine the worst case scenario: rejection. Although it sucks, taking initiative clarifies whether or not this is worthwhile. Any woman that is rejected after asking a man out can move on quickly and acknowledge that she put her best foot forward.

Initiating will always be better than waiting passively with uncertainty for a man to make the first move — this way, there are no questions of “what if?” A woman is showing herself respect by displaying her intentions and not wasting her time.

To be clear, I’m not claiming women looking to date men should always make the first move. I propose all women looking to date men should equally appreciate taking initiative and being on the receiving end of it. There should be an equal expectation that both men and women initiate. One scenario should not be perceived as more ideal than the other. Whether it’s in person, through social media or on dating apps, stop being passive — let your true desires drive your actions rather than societal expectations.

Out of the men I have dated, I initiated all but one of the first dates. Rather than exhaust all the

small talk before an actual date, I made an effort to ask the guy out, whether it be in person, over text or on dating apps, as soon as I sense a connection. I’ve shot my shot with a good amount of men and lived through rejections and I’m happier because of it. I encourage all women to weigh being pursued by a man and pursuing a man as equally viable options. In the end, the only regret should be the chances not taken, not the risk of reaching out.

Tess McHugh PO ’25 is from Denver, Colorado. She loves chia seed pudding, the West Village in New York City and the movie “American Psycho” (2000).

‘Yakking’ isn’t a cannon event; party responsibly

KABIR RAINA

After the whirlwind of transportations that occurred at the beginning of this past fall semester, things seem to have smoothed out. Or have they?

Students (mainly freshmen) continue to drink copious amounts of alcohol, teetering the border of needing medical attention. While students have realized that public perception of them is at risk, their remedy hasn’t been reducing their intake — it’s been ensuring that they have friends around to take care of them. Building support systems is inherently a good thing, and many students believe going overboard is a “canon event” or an item ticked off the “college bingo card.” However there may come

a time when simply “yakking” isn’t a satisfactory solution. “Responsible partying” is a phrase that usually turns me and many others off from whatever advice an adult is giving us. The terms do not seem to mesh well together, and many see it as a way of insinuating that we “shouldn’t have too much fun.”

That isn’t the case at all, and trying to implement the tips in this article a couple of times will help you enjoy your parties at the 5Cs even more.

The Claremont McKenna College Dean of Students Office’s (DOS) main view of the topic was that “transports can save lives.” For CMC, the Medical Amnesty Policy is imperative so that students aren’t afraid to ask for help if they’ve over

consumed.

“Whether students are transported or not, they meet with a member of the Dean of Students Office to talk about the circumstances from their perspective and to develop a plan for safer decisions in the future. These existing policies and practices are not under review,” DOS said via email.

That being said, DOS is wary and concerned about the material effects of the “yakking.” “[Alcohol use can] cause residence hall damages, or suffer academic consequences, relationship problems, etc. as a result of their decisions,” DOS said.

Although DOS offers comforting advice, ask any upperclassmen and they’ll let you know that such behavior gets

you on an implicit watchlist, and there will be more scrutiny around your actions at parties and events. I’ve been given this advice countless times since orientation week — going overboard once means you risk being able to comfortably let loose in the future. After all, the DOS office controls everything we do, from our academics and club activities to our residential life. While they don’t normally interfere, being seen as a “transport kid” could impact other aspects of your college life. It isn’t a title to be worn with pride and even if your actual family isn’t told, given that you’ll be on this campus for the next 4 years, your “family” here will be well aware of your reputation.

Two years ago, Claremont McKenna had to shut down Monte Carlo early due to excessive transports, a repeat of which might lead to further consequences for us. So how do we rectify this?

Well for starters, spacing out our drinks could make a huge difference. When at a pre-game or at the party itself, it’s easy to make another drink for yourself when you see people around you drinking the whole time. However, being mindful of your own pace is important to ensure you don’t overdrink. Additionally, eating a full meal before drinking is helpful too as the food can soak in the alcohol so you don’t get too drunk. Plus, keeping hydrated is essential so that you don’t dehydrate and feel like vomiting.

CMC’s introduction of no substances at the popular event “Club Claremont” to honor former student Ali Mirza CM ’13 is a great example of people having a good time without alcohol or other drugs. Mirza unfortunately passed away due to excessive substance use and his family helped create this event as an example of responsible partying.

Don’t get me wrong, I love parties. They are a great way to bond and the memories made can deepen the friendships we have. If you can’t remember the night out, you’re only doing yourself a disservice. Sure, alcohol can be used to set the mood for the night, but there’s a big difference between not being too sober and blacking out.

The notion that parties are less enjoyable sober is completely false and borderline insulting to those that choose not to partake. As mentioned previously, “Club Claremont” is eagerly anticipated as those students that are apprehensive about going to parties where substances are present can enjoy this nightclub-like atmosphere without any worries.

Yes, getting a little “buzzed” before arriving at the party means some of the music or the shoving goes by a little smoother, but drinking more doesn’t mean that feeling will last longer — you’ll just be dazed and miss the fun with your friends.

Kabir Raina CM ’28 is a first-year at CMC and wants people to be able to party without regrets later on.

TESS MCHUGH

SHIXIA o YU • THE STUDENT LIFE

Elon Musk’s million-dollar-a-day rewards are undemocratic

CELESTE CARIKER

On Oct. 19, Elon Musk introduced the “Petition in Favor of Free Speech and the Right to Bear Arms,” run by Musk’s political action committee (PAC), “America PAC,” which promised to award one million dollars to a different registered voter who signed the petition each day. The petition also promised to award signees who refer others to sign the petition $47 per reference.

Here’s the catch — the program is for swing state voters: “exclusively open to registered voters in Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada, Arizona, Michigan, Wisconsin and North Carolina,” according to the AmericaPAC website.

Pennsylvania voters are offered a special offer: they can earn $100 per reference. Pennsylvania just so happens to be the swing state with the greatest number of electoral votes and the most electoral power.

The Public Integrity Section of The Justice Department issued a warning to Musk’s America PAC on Wednesday, Oct. 23, citing the federal law that prohibits bribing people to register to vote. In response, no winner was announced on Wednesday, but Musk has continued to announce million-dollar rewards since then.

While the petition does not require you to vote for a particular candidate, the petition (and the chance to win a million dollars) highlights conservative values such as “free speech” and the Second Amendment. Additionally, Musk has publicly endorsed Donald Trump, most recently giving a speech at his Oct. 27 rally in New York City.

“It’s clearly designed to induce people to register to vote in a way that is legally problematic,” Michael Kang, a professor of law at the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law, said in a BBC article.

This petition is clearly meant to influence on-the-fence voters to support Trump, through its usage of Republican rhetoric regarding the Constitution and the PAC’s dedication to fueling the Trump campaign. Elon Musk has put at least $118 million into the PAC, which has funded canvasing initiatives and pro-Trump ads.

In the petition’s description, Elon Musk says he is pledging “support for the First and Second Amendments,”yet he leaves out his true motivation: to receive Trump’s tax cuts.

Trump’s tax plan includes renewing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which would cut the tax rates of corporate company shareholders and corporate domestic production while imposing large tariffs to make up for the loss in governmental revenue from taxes.

Musk already pays little to no taxes each year because he receives no salary from Tesla. Tesla itself doesn’t pay taxes either

because it receives government support for electric car production, and the corporation’s operations are structured overseas.

Musk only has to pay taxes on shares of stocks that he buys and sells, which explains his $11 billion federal tax bill from 2021.

The world’s wealthiest person, with a net worth of $240 billion, couldn’t possibly need tax cuts. It is unfair that Musk, a man whose daily income is on average $54 million, can influence the election by touting million dollar rewards yet face no actual financial consequence.

To contextualize, Musk’s $118 million dollar investment in America PAC is only 0.6 percent of his yearly income, equivalent to a $387 donation made by a person earning the national average salary of $60,000 a year.

His one-million-dollar-a-day contribution is only .006 percent of his yearly income, equivalent to a $3 donation by the average earner described above.

But this money, which is essentially pocket change to Musk, does not have a $387

impact on the election, and especially not a $3 impact. There are 759 billionaires in America, in contrast with roughly 340 million Americans. The billionaire population makes up a one hundredth-thousandth percent (.000016) of the overall population, yet they get to have more representation and influence over candidacy and policy than anyone else in America.

Musk in specific, besides throwing money at his political henchmen, has spent his time in the political spotlight attacking the legitimacy of mail-in ballots, instilling fear, distrust and paranoia in conservative voters, despite that mail-

There are 759 billionaires in America, in contrast with roughly 340 million Americans. The billionaire population makes up a one hundredth-thousandth percent (.000016) of the overall population, yet they get to have more representation and influence over candidacy and policy than anyone else in America.

in ballots have greatly increased voter turnout and accessibility among racially and socioeconomically diverse voters. Americans must realize that billionaires’ success in business does not mean that their opinions and actions are automatically moral or good-natured. Billionaires should be looked at under a microscope at all times, and the average voter most certainly should not take political advice from a billionaire. As billionaires continue to create an even larger wealth gap between the working class and themselves, it is clear that they do not operate in the interests of anyone but themselves.

Undue influence will only continue to manipulate the average voter. The political system in America has failed to respond to modern day political issues such as the unimaginable and unethical accumulation of wealth. The law needs to punish people like Elon Musk. Yet Americans are being betrayed by their government because it relies on Musk for his rocket and satellite production coming from SpaceX. It would be commendable to see the government put citizens first and develop more strict campaign finance laws, because clearly the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971 is not enough. Musk’s creation of an exclusive lottery system to influence the election is a reflection of just how much money lets people get away with things.

Celeste Cariker PZ ’28 is from San Juan Capistrano, CA. She intends to major in political studies, and has special interests in social justice and law. In her free time, she plays guitar, lifts weights and listens to music.

SASHA m ATTHEWS • THE STUDENT LIFE

In defense of the Pomona College Judicial Council

To the Pomona College community, As an alumnus and former head chair of the Pomona College Judicial Council (JBoard), I write with a heavy heart and deep concern for the future of Pomona. In my role as chair, I resisted every urge to interject my thoughts into the public domain. I felt that doing so would undermine the impartiality and perceived legitimacy of our

student-led conduct process. Yet as I have reflected on President G. Gabrielle Starr’s decision to circumvent the judicial process this past week, I feel compelled to break my silence and speak out for the values that define us as a community.

During my tenure as chair, I witnessed firsthand how polarizing disagreements threatened to tear at the fabric of our community. Yet even in our most contentious cases — the protests of Dec.

2023 and Apr. 5, 2024 — the integrity of our judicial process bridged divides, earning respect from both administration and the student body despite neither being fully satisfied with our decisions.

We evaluated responsibility by weighing objective evidence against the letter of our Student Code. When those factors pointed to no one clear conclusion, we sought middle ground by fostering a nonjudgmental space to register each side’s interpretation

of the facts. In cases where responsibility was indeed determined, we issued sanctions that aimed to recognize and restore, rather than aggravate, the harm incurred by each party. This was trying work — intellectually, emotionally, even socially — for our panelists and my fellow chairs. But we pressed forward, determined to lead by the power of our example, not by making an example of our power.

Starr’s actions mark a profound departure from the values that have long distinguished Pomona and attracted generations of thoughtful leaders. Instead of championing constructive pathways for student advocacy, her administration offers only token gestures — ad hoc forums hastily convened in reaction to disruptive protests — that effectively reward continued escalation. As an experienced educator and leader, she bears the responsibility to embrace her students’ conviction, model resilient dialogue and draw strength from our community’s diverse perspectives. These principles, embodied in our judicial processes, reflect the fundamental promise of our liberal arts education.

The grave implications of circumventing our judicial process cannot be overstated. This decision not only invalidates years of dedicated work by students and administrators, but reveals Starr’s vision for Pomona: governance by hierarchy rather than community. Through their silence, the Board of Trustees has tacitly endorsed President Starr’s decision to discard our time-tested processes of collaborative resolution. They owe our community an explanation.

By depriving students of the opportunity to have their voices heard by a jury of their peers, those who seek to be heard may see no choice but to turn to more confrontational forms of protest. The choice before us is clear: we can either recommit to our proven judicial process, or we can brace for increasingly volatile conflicts that will only further fracture our community.

In solidarity,

Henri Prevost PO ’24

The right to protest — and the courage to advocate for one’s convictions — lie at the foundation of both our democratic society and Pomona’s educational mission. However, without real stakes and accountability, acts of disruptive protest amount to little more than performance. By bypassing our established channels for mutual accountability instead of affirming them, Starr’s approach betrays our institution’s mandate to model critical discourse and thoughtful leadership. It represents precisely the kind of governance driven by fear and political expediency, rather than principle, that our student-led judicial process was designed to prevent.

Chair Emeritus, Pomona College Judicial Council

The politics behind apolitical acts

Over the past year, Pomona College’s campus has been shrouded in fierce debates and protests regarding the college’s response to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Spaces across campus, including Pomona’s Carnegie, Marston Quad and Alexander Hall have been occupied and used for political activism.

The Walker Free Wall in front of Frary dining hall is no exception. Messages from both sides, including those criticizing the conflation of antisemitism with anti-Zionism, and concerns about potential antisemitic views among pro-Palestinian protesters, have turned the wall into a dynamic space reflecting ongoing dialogue at the colleges.

However, last week, Haverim, a non-religious space for Jewish students at the Claremont Colleges, painted over a section of Walker Wall that addressed the debate on conflating anti-Zionism with antisemitism in activist responses to the Israel-Palestine conflict. According to Haverim, the event – which encouraged participants to keep designs apolitical and inclusive – was an effort to “restore unity and fun to the wall and to [the] schools,” a step back from the acrimonious discourse that has consumed Pomona’s campus over the last year.

Yet, however well-intentioned, it is inherently contradictory to strip a free wall of its political nature. A “free” space should remain open to all forms of expression — without dictating whether it is political or apolitical — and an act that promotes apolitical content over political speech is inherently political. By claiming neutrality, Haverim imposes a stance on what should remain an unregulated platform for dialogue.

Whitewashing a political space under the pretext of neutrality isn’t just wrong — it’s a political act in itself. Apoliticism allows people to silence political voices without having to critically engage with them, while also depriving the other side of the opportunity to defend their beliefs. It also represents an acceptance of the status quo, which dismisses political dissent. By uncritically accepting the status quo, we normalize the world’s issues rather than challenge them. These actions raise questions about the privilege of

those who advocate for apoliticism and why some messages are deemed “political” while others are deemed “neutral.”

Attempting to strip politics with such an action not only fails to reduce campus tensions but also ignores the significant and far-reaching implications this discourse bears for both Pomona students and people facing political oppression around the world.

Furthermore, erasing political spaces doesn’t erase the real issues they highlighted, and concealing spaces that memorialize and address critical, serious matters doesn’t make them “fun” — it strips them of their true purpose. There are plenty of spaces on campus we can designate as “fun” and

“apolitical,” but covering up an established political space is a blatant attempt to control and derail the narrative under the guise of neutrality. It uses the illusion of nonpartisan unity to diminish the voices of activists.

Since 1975, when Pomona students used the wall to express support for the then-incarcerated civil rights activist Angela Davis, Walker Wall has functioned as a living symbol of free expression. In its openness and public accessibility, the Wall is an open and democratic forum for dialogue. The ability of groups to freely and affordably paint messages supports this. It stands as a symbol of free speech and debate, of Pomona’s legacy of inculcating its students with a vigorous ability to critique and

intellectually affect the world.

To erase the wall of its politics is to erase the advocacy of Asian American groups who paved the way toward creating our Asian American Studies department; to erase the history of Jewish Pomona students who rallied after the October synagogue shootings; to erase the history of AIDS advocacy at Pomona. It erases the work of students who led political change in the face of adversity, shaping the very identity of our school — something that should concern everyone, regardless of personal beliefs.

To be clear, work by Haverim has a rightful place on the wall, just as the previous expressions it covered did. But its “apolitical” message undermines the wall’s purpose as a space for

free expression. Regardless of political stance, we should all agree to protect spaces for open political expression and cultivate a student culture that recognizes and respects free speech. This is vital to retaining the ethos of our community.

Walker Wall is more than a canvas for transient messages; it is a testament to the power of collective expression in our community. If we allow it to be stripped of its political significance, we risk losing a vital platform for activism, dialogue, and change. We cannot afford that in today’s world.

Eric Lu PO ’28 is from Salt Lake City, Utah. He enjoys walking past the Walker Wall every day and hopes that it will remain a space for political dialogue on campus.

HENRI PREVOST

ERIC LU

College President G. Gabrielle Starr suspended 10 students for the 2024-2025 academic year without judicial hearings, overriding the Judicial Council’s responsibilities in the process.

American Premier League fans: bandwagon or real passion?

On the inside of my right arm,

I have a tiny tattoo of the number eight, just over two centimeters in size. It’s my favorite number and the one I’ve always worn for volleyball. Why? Because I grew up in the Steven Gerrard era of Liverpool FC. Supporting Liverpool wasn’t a choice for me; it was a family inheritance, decided generations ago.

My dad’s grandparents were Scousers, Liverpool natives. His grandfather was a devout Everton fan, while his grandmother supported Liverpool. Both clubs are Liverpool-based, with their stadiums only a mile apart, making the annual Merseyside derby matches between the two teams particularly intense. Both of my dad’s grandparents tried tirelessly to sway him to their side, but it was the red scarves my great-grandmother knitted for him that finally sealed his allegiance to Liverpool. I count my blessings every day that he did.

In the UK and much of Europe, football loyalty is inherited. It is passed through generations, with family, local ties, community and even religion playing crucial roles. Supporting a team in the UK isn’t just a preference; it’s rooted in family history and regional identity — a lifelong commitment, no matter where you end up living.

For many, Premier League clubs, some over a century old, are inseparable from their community’s identity. Liverpool FC, founded in 1892, embodies that connection with its storied history of triumphs, tragedies and miracles, all binding its fans to the club. It is a moral duty as much as a passion to remain loyal. Of course, it is not always romantic — football hooliganism and fan violence remain serious issues.

But all of this had me thinking: how on earth do American fans of the Premier League choose their team? Without geographical or familial ties, what goes into the decision? Is it really the glory-hunting and bandwagon-hopping that it may seem from the outside? I interviewed a handful of fans around the college to get to the bottom of it.

For many, like Cole Clark CM ’26, an avid Arsenal fan, team choice is driven by admiration for specific players.

“Growing up, when I first started watching and getting into soccer and looking at highlights, one player that always popped up in highlights and film was Thierry Henry, and he quickly became my favorite player,” Clark said. “And seeing, of course, that he was an Arsenal legend, it only made sense for me to make Arsenal my favorite team.”

Tori Holden CM ’25, a Liverpool supporter, had a similar approach to Clark in choosing her team.

“My parents are both from England, so my dad had a team, but they weren’t in the Premier League, so I kind of just chose a team … and I really liked Steven Gerrard as a player,” she said. “I had all his jerseys, and then I just kind of stuck

with it.”

When Gerrard retired from Liverpool and moved to the Major League Soccer (MLS), an American professional soccer league, Holden kept an eye on LA Galaxy — the team to which he moved — but remained focused on Liverpool despite Gerrard’s absence.

Similarly, Clark’s love for the club has only grown stronger.

“I watch Arsenal play every week, every time they have a game, [even if] it’s 4:30 a.m. out here … I always tune in,” Clark said.

For many fans in the United States, the allure of club success plays a major role. For Tanveer Chabba CM ’25 and Lukas Huntington CM ’25, it was watching Chelsea’s victory in the epic Champions League final of 2012 that sealed their allegiance to the club.

“Growing up, I liked [Manchester] United, I liked Chelsea, I liked all these teams … but that Champions League final … that’s when I knew Chelsea was my team,” Huntington said.

Shaan Malik CM ’26 had much to say regarding how success shaped his support for Manchester United. Growing up in an era when this team was a dominant force in football, Malik said he was naturally drawn to their winning culture.

“I supported Man[chester] United from a young age, probably because they were successful,”

Malik said. “You just fell in love with their success.”

For Malik, this early exposure to a powerful team created a sense of loyalty that he still holds today, even as United’s dominance has waned.

Tommy Brown CM ’25, another Manchester United fan, weighed in on the psychology of choosing a successful club.

“I think that especially in America if you aren’t geographically tied to a team, you’re gonna be more attracted to teams that have success because it’s fun to watch teams win,” he said. “I think that a lot of times people attach parts of their own identity to the teams that they support … it’s like you’re winning through them.”

This makes perfect sense. You cannot blame Americans, who do not have a team to inherit from family or geography, for choosing a team that wins and plays exciting football — as long as they stay loyal.

For British fans of football, switching teams is unthinkable, no matter where life takes you. It’s a cultural taboo to change allegiances based on a move to a new city or even a country. When you support Liverpool, Arsenal or any other club, that loyalty sticks. Whether you end up in London, New York or halfway around the world, it doesn’t change the unwavering allegiance that being a Premier League fan requires. Nearly every

UK family has a team they are at least loosely tied to, even if they don’t follow the sport closely.

For NBA or NFL fans, this kind of fandom certainly exists in places like Boston, but it’s less embedded in the cultural identity, as not everyone has a team by birthright. It could be perhaps because the leagues are not as old.

Huntington and Brown weighed in on this topic.

“It’s more if you didn’t know about the NBA before, if you were less tuned in, and then you move and then there’s this team in your town, then you start following them,” Brown said. “But it’s still not acceptable to switch teams.”

Huntington disagreed.

“I don’t know, I mean if I’m gonna be in Chicago after school, I’ll root for the Bears. I don’t care,” Huntington said. The fact this is even up for debate is the difference. The unmatched loyalty in the Premier League is something Huntington and Malik could find common ground on.

“If I was living in Merseyside, I’m not going to no Liverpool games, I’ll tell you that,” Huntington said.

Malik echoed this sentiment, calling it a “U.S. mindset” to just go watch the sport you enjoy no matter who’s playing.

“If I enjoy the sport, I’ll go to an MLS game, I’ll go to a San Jose Earthquakes game, whatever

game is in my area even if I’m traveling,” Malik said. “But I think in Europe, you’re a lot more invested in your team and it’s a lot more your identity” Ultimately, American and British fans of the Premier League share an intense passion for the game, but the differences in expressing loyalty reveal something deeper about each culture’s relationship to fandom. For Americans, fandom can be more fluid, often shaped by individual players, exciting moments or city pride. For British fans, it is inherited, woven into family identity and tied to a single club, permanent like the tattoo on my arm, regardless of where life takes you or who is on the pitch.

Without a birthright, American fans must make their own choice. And who can really blame them for choosing the best teams? Their passion is unmistakable, and their appreciation for the sport genuine. Although our expressions of fandom differ, they’re still rooted in a love for the beautiful game, even from a distance. And that in itself is something to be admired.

Georgia McGovern CM ’24 was meant to graduate in the spring but decided three seasons of volleyball were not quite enough for her. Like all British people, she loves soccer: She is a passionate Liverpool FC fan and, yes, despite never having played a single minute of soccer in her life, she knows the offside rule.

Claremont men’s club soccer is

place to find success and unity on

Twice a week, Pomona College’s South Athletic Complex turf field comes alive when the Claremont Colleges men’s club soccer team comes together. From varsity players looking to refine their skills to former high school stars who want to relive the glory of rivalry wins, the team sees a wide variety of players from different backgrounds and skill levels.

Founded in 2016 by a group of former Pomona-Pitzer (P-P) varsity soccer players, the team began as an informal gathering but disappeared in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as the schools began gathering in person again in 2021, alumnus Jan Charatan PO ’23 revived the club and transformed it into a serious affair. Since 2021, the self-dubbed “Pears” have not only served a role in allowing players to continue playing competitive soccer through college but also, according to Alex Seager HM ’27, have fostered a much-needed sense of community across the Claremont Colleges.

“A really big part of the team is just being together and making friends,” Seager said. “I think when I was a freshman, I quickly made a lot of my friends from the club. I think everyone’s bonded really well and we have a great team.”

While Seager recognizes the importance of being serious in a competitive team environment,

he also explains that the club holds a lighthearted atmosphere.

“For a lot of people, after high school, that might be the last time they ever play,” Seager said. “So, everyone’s really here just for fun. I mean, it’s definitely competitive … but people are showing up just because they love to play.”

With a shared positive mindset, the club has started its season strong with a 3-2 win against Cal State Long Beach and a 0-0 draw versus San Diego State University under its

belt. Players such as Russell Kuan CM ’25 acknowledge that this year’s success could be record-setting.

“In terms of talent, this is probably our best year in the last four years,” Kuan said. “We have a lot of really talented freshmen and sophomores as well as some who have gone off the [Division III] grind and wanted to stay competitive.”

Kuan said he sees this season as an opportunity for the club to reach stages they had previously reached in past seasons, noting qualifying for the Aztec

Cup — a premier club soccer tournament hosting the best soccer teams from the West Coast — as one of his personal goals.

He says that winning their current division in the West Coast Soccer Association may be the only way to make it to the tournament.

“If we don’t [qualify], then we have to pay a league fee, and that’s a huge issue for our team, because we’re one of the most underfunded clubs in the 5Cs, despite being such a big sport,” Kuan said.

According to the club’s pres -

ident, Ari Benveniste PO ’25, one of the hardest parts of his job has been securing funding for the club. The club usually receives around $2,500 to 3,000 annually to cover a hefty league fee of $4,200 but its budget was slashed during the 2023-24 school year.

“I spent the whole semester trying to essentially get the funding that we normally get,” Benveniste said. “I must have sent 100 emails, gone to five or 10 [Associated Students of Pomona College] meetings, was bounced around countless times, and then we never, ever got any money in the end, which was really frustrating.”

However, Benveniste has not let the financial setbacks stop him from fully enjoying the community the club has to offer.

“It’s a huge part of my social life,” Benveniste said. “It makes you feel like you’re grounded and you’re part of something bigger.”

Akiva Goren PZ ’25 stepped up as the official head coach this year and hopes to extend further the high spirit of the team. According to Goren, his motivations are less about trophies or wins and more about creating a family.

“We want, above all, just to play as a team and have everyone play for each other more than just playing for themselves,” Goren said.“This is what we’ve told the players: hard work and accountability.”

The Pears will continue their season when they face UC. Riverside on the road on Saturday, Nov. 9.

JUN KWON

GEORGIA MCGOVERN

OttO FrIttON • tHe StUDeNt LIFe

CMS men’s basketball warms up with exhibition after last season’s success

The lights are coming up on a new season for Stags’ basketball after last year’s record-breaking finish, beginning with an exhibition match against Division II Biola University Oct. 25 at Claremont McKenna’s Roberts Pavilion.

Last year, Claremont-MuddScripps (CMS) made the deepest run in program history in the NCAA Division III Championship, appearing in the Sweet 16 for the

first time. The Stags also tied the CMS record for most games won in a season at 23. The scrimmage, which had no recorded score, allowed the Stags to get game-play reps in before the start of the regular season in November. Though CMS lost many valuable members of its team with the coming of the new school year, namely CMS legend Josh Angle CGU ’24, they replenished their roster with seven new players. The Stags got off to a slow start

in the first half, struggling to keep up with the opposing team on fast breaks and turnovers. But Neil Owens CGU ’25 gave the Stags their first jolt of momentum just minutes into the game, receiving a pass and following up with a pump fake to set up a wide-open shot. Even though the Stags trailed for most of the exhibition, the performance of Owens and his former Redlands teammate Robert Power CGU ’25 proved to be a bright spot for the Stags. Center

Dede Carranza CM ’25 was awarded the SCIAC Defensive Player of the Week for her exceptional play on the volleyball court during the week of Oct. 27. Carranza recorded 57 digs and 10 service aces in the Athenas’ dominant 3-0 week. Carranza was a key contributor to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps’ (CMS) sweep of Whittier on Friday, Oct. 25, followed by her strong performance with the game-winning ace against Chapman. This is her second time winning this award this season and her third total in her time at CMS. Carranza has had an accolade-studded career thus far for the Athenas, with multiple First-Team AVCA All-West Region awards, as well as SCIAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player and All-Tournament Team at East-West Battle. Among these many achievements, she is also the back-to-back reigning SCIAC Defensive Player of the Year. Carranza and the Athenas will be back in action Friday, Nov. 1 at La Verne.

Friday, November 1

Women’s Volleyball @ University of La Verne

Saturday, November 2

Women’s XC @ SCIAC Championships

m en’s XC @ SCIAC Championships

m en’s Swim & Dive @ Whittier

Friday, November 1

Women’s Volleyball @ Cal Lutheran

Saturday, November 2

Women’s Water polo @ UC Irvine

Women’s XC @ SCIAC Championships

Women’s Swim & Dive @ Whittier

m en’s Water p olo @ University of r edlands

m en’s Soccer vs. University of California, Santa Cruz

Women’s Volleyball vs. University of r edlands Football @ Chapman

men’s XC @ SCIAC Championships men’s Swim vs. Cal Lutheran

Women’s Swim vs. Cal Lutheran

men’s Soccer vs. Occidental

men’s Water polo @ Cal Lutheran

THE STUDENT LIFE

AJ Rohosy CGU ’25, another grad student who joined the Stags this year, helped draw Biola’s defense towards him, giving his teammates opportunities to shoot.

After the graduation of Angle, the No. 3 all-time Stags’ scorer with 562 points last season and 1647 overall, CMS continues on the path to foster star talent. Guard Stuart McCallum CM ’25 spoke about the new faces and possibilities with this year’s roster.

“We don’t know exactly what the rotation is going to look like,” McCallum said. “You don’t know what happens if one guy goes down, who steps up? But I think we got a really deep group this year, and I’m just excited to see what happens.”

Returning players Reid Jones CM ’27 and James Frye CM ’26 played tight defense against some of Biola’s more physical players, finding defensive rebounds as well as forcing turnovers and missed shots. Jones notched a steal in the first half and an offensive rebound that resulted in a bucket and a free throw. Last season, Jones led the team with 39 steals while Fryre averaged 5.2 rebounds per game, the second highest on the team.

According to Jones, Stags head coach Ken Scalmanini highly values defensive performance.

“[Coach] definitely loves and trusts his defense a lot,” Jones said. “And as a team, we try and embody that as much as possible.”

Despite the tenacity of the Stags, Biola strung together a series of offensive successes. CMS found themselves behind on multiple fast breaks following missed shots or turnovers, ending the half trailing to the Eagles.

The Stags emerged from the locker room after halftime and put on the pressure. Just two minutes

into the third quarter, a precise pass from Cole Boake CM ’28 led to a resounding dunk from Frye. A traveling call nullified the play, but it was nevertheless a breath of life for the offense.

Owens continued to prove himself as a handler and shooter, using his ability to get open off of dribbles to set up shots like his stepback jumper over the outstretched hands of a Biola defender.

The Stags didn’t make it easy for Biola on defense, running down all 24 seconds of the shot clock on multiple occasions. Matt Meredith CM ’25 helped lead a fierce effort on offense, ripping a ball off the back of the glass to reset the shot clock for the Stags and give them an opportunity to put points on the board.

While the exhibition match didn’t count on either team’s records, Owens explained the match’s importance in helping the new team build confidence and trust in each other for the season ahead after only being able to scrimmage within themselves for weeks.

“I think a game like this helps tremendously,” Owen said. “It’s good to switch it up and play another team to get the chemistry going and work out all the problems.”

McCallum, a team captain this year, also emphasized the team’s driven mentality heading into this year’s season and their resolve to build on last season’s successes.

“I think that we got a little taste of it, and everyone’s still really hungry,” McCallum said. “We want to get back to that point and see if we can push even further. But it starts with the SCIAC.”

The Stags are back in action with another exhibition game against La Sierra University on Saturday, Nov. 2 before they start their regular season against Linfield University on Friday, Nov. 8 at home.

Pomona-Pitzer (P-P) football quarterback Grady Russo PZ ’27 earned SCIAC Athlete of the Week in his first game back after missing three games due to a hamstring injury, when P-P defeated La Verne 51-14 on Saturday, Oct. 26. Despite only playing one half, Russo threw five touchdowns, including a 54yard reception to Mitchell Rodenbaugh PZ ’28 and two 40 plus yard receptions to Quinten Wimmer PZ ’25 and Matthias Olson PO ’26. Russo recorded 263 passing yards and 45 rushing yards in the half and now has 10 passing touchdowns, two rushing touchdowns, 772 passing yards and 209 rushing yards this season. Last year, he was awarded Academic All-SCIAC and in the 2023 season, Russo threw eight touchdowns and rushed for two across nine games. With the win, the Sagehens improved their conference record to 5-2 and 4-1 in SCIAC. P-P will next face off against Cal Lutheran on Saturday, Nov. 2 at home.

Women’s Soccer vs. p omona- p itzer

m en’s b asketball @ La Sierra University (exhibition)

Women’s Volleyball vs. La Verne Football vs. Cal Lutheran

Women’s Soccer @ Claremont-mudd-Scripps