Community Message Regarding the Oct. 15 Event Disruption at Pomona College

Dear students, faculty and staff, 

By now, many of you are aware of the troubling incident that occurred Oct. 15 at Pomona College, when masked individuals disrupted a memorial event for members of our Jewish community, co-sponsored by Faces of October Seventh, The Claremont Colleges Religious and Spiritual Life, Claremont Hillel, and Jewish Studies at Scripps. These individuals’ disruptive actions created an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. President Starr shared a message with Pomona’s community providing further details about the event. 

I wanted to share with you all that we immediately reached out to our students who were participating in the event to offer care, support, resources, and assistance. If you know a student who has been impacted by this incident, please don’t hesitate to contact the Division of Student Affairs so we can ensure they receive the support they need. For faculty and staff who have been impacted, resources and support are available through the Office of the Dean of the Faculty or the Office of Human Resources.

Although this incident happened at Pomona College, it affects our entire Claremont Colleges community. Acts of hate and discrimination have no place here, and we condemn any actions that negatively target people based on religion, ethnicity or identity. 

As stated in Harvey Mudd’s strategic plan, we are committed to providing a STEM education that embodies excellence, innovation, inclusivity and that focuses on the wellbeing of all members of our community. 

Together, let us continue to foster a campus community where all of us can engage openly, respectfully, and safely in remembrance, reflection, dialogue, and discovery. 

Thank you for your care for one another. 

Harriet B. Nembhard
President
Harvey Mudd College