As one of the five undergraduate colleges in the Claremont Colleges system, Pomona College offers access to a Hillel and Chabad and a campus rabbi.

Litigation & Investigations

In May 2024, the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and ADL announced the filing of a Title VI complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights against Pomona College for permitting severe discrimination and harassment of Jewish students.

What’s Happening on Campus?

Numerous antisemitic incidents have been recorded on campus, even before October 7. In January 2023, antisemitic flyers were distributed in Claremont, including on campus, and in early 2023, a student who had hung an Israeli flag from his dorm window found it had been cut in half. In April 2023, a flyer for a campus Israeli Independence Day Event was re-posted with comments including “Have you no shame, you bloodthirsty baby killers.”

In February 2024, the Associated Students of Pomona College (ASPC) organization held a campus-wide BDS referendum vote, resulting in overwhelming campus community support of divestment from companies linked to Israel and in support of an academic boycott of Israel. Pro-BDS flyering has also occurred, including in spaces where it is banned, such as dorms.

In May 2024, pro-Palestinian protestors abandoned their encampment in favor of protesting at the commencement ceremony.

In August 2024, masked demonstrators disrupted the College’s convocation ceremony. That same month, at an anti-Israel rally organized by Pomona Divest from Apartheid at the home of the president of Pomona College, protesters chanted “Intifada, Intifada; Long live the Intifada” and “There is only one solution: Intifada revolution.”

In September 2024, a poster in a residence hall was vandalized with: "Heil Hitler."

In October 2024, on the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack against Israel, hundreds of students from across the Claremont Colleges system walked out of their classes and occupied Pomona’s Carnegie Hall, demanding that Pomona “divest from weapons manufacturers who do business with Israel...because there can be no business as usual during genocide.” During the protest, a number of incidents occurred, including a masked student blaming Jews for the death of Jesus and “Intifada” and “from the river to the sea” being spray-painted on the walls of the building.

University Policies and Responsive Action

The College is a participant in Hillel’s Campus Climate Initiative.

In December 2023, Pomona announced that it had added shared ancestry as a category in its anti-harassment policies, updating its non-discrimination policies to call attention to antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias.

In advance of the February 2024 referendum vote, President Starr sent a college-wide email expressing concerns about the impact this referendum has on Jewish students and how the “referendum raises the specter of antisemitism.”

Pomona has investigated complaints and held judicial hearings on potential student code of conduct violations related to anti-Israel demonstrations. Moreover, during an April 2024 student-led anti-Israel demonstration that saw 150 students storm an administrative building and refuse to leave, Pomona College President Starr warned the students to leave or face disciplinary consequences. Following that event, several participants were arrested, and President Starr publicly announced that Pomona students who participated will be facing suspension and that participating students from other Claremont Colleges will be banned from Pomona’s campus.

Ahead of the 2024-25 academic year, Pomona College modified demonstration-related policies and added new dedicated campus safety staff. The College also established a ‘Year of Dialogue’ initiative to bring members of the campus community together across differences.

In advance of the October 2024 protest and Carnegie Hall occupation, the Administration was made aware of the planned walkout and the likelihood of disruption to the campus but did not organize increased security or clarify its policies pertaining to campus disruptions or time, place, and manner restrictions.  Although the Administration condemned the takeover and vandalism of Carnegie Hall and suspended those responsible for the remainder of the 2024-2025 academic year, the College did not acknowledge or condemn the fact that antisemitism was prevalent throughout the protest.

As one of the five undergraduate colleges in the Claremont Colleges system, Pomona College offers access to a Hillel and Chabad and a campus rabbi.

Litigation & Investigations

In May 2024, the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law and ADL announced the filing of a Title VI complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights against Pomona College for permitting severe discrimination and harassment of Jewish students.

What’s Happening on Campus?

Numerous antisemitic incidents have been recorded on campus, even before October 7. In January 2023, antisemitic flyers were distributed in Claremont, including on campus, and in early 2023, a student who had hung an Israeli flag from his dorm window found it had been cut in half. In April 2023, a flyer for a campus Israeli Independence Day Event was re-posted with comments including “Have you no shame, you bloodthirsty baby killers.”

In February 2024, the Associated Students of Pomona College (ASPC) organization held a campus-wide BDS referendum vote, resulting in overwhelming campus community support of divestment from companies linked to Israel and in support of an academic boycott of Israel. Pro-BDS flyering has also occurred, including in spaces where it is banned, such as dorms.

In May 2024, pro-Palestinian protestors abandoned their encampment in favor of protesting at the commencement ceremony.

In August 2024, masked demonstrators disrupted the College’s convocation ceremony. That same month, at an anti-Israel rally organized by Pomona Divest from Apartheid at the home of the president of Pomona College, protesters chanted “Intifada, Intifada; Long live the Intifada” and “There is only one solution: Intifada revolution.”

In September 2024, a poster in a residence hall was vandalized with: "Heil Hitler."

In October 2024, on the one-year anniversary of the Hamas attack against Israel, hundreds of students from across the Claremont Colleges system walked out of their classes and occupied Pomona’s Carnegie Hall, demanding that Pomona “divest from weapons manufacturers who do business with Israel...because there can be no business as usual during genocide.” During the protest, a number of incidents occurred, including a masked student blaming Jews for the death of Jesus and “Intifada” and “from the river to the sea” being spray-painted on the walls of the building.

University Policies and Responsive Action

The College is a participant in Hillel’s Campus Climate Initiative.

In December 2023, Pomona announced that it had added shared ancestry as a category in its anti-harassment policies, updating its non-discrimination policies to call attention to antisemitism and anti-Muslim bias.

In advance of the February 2024 referendum vote, President Starr sent a college-wide email expressing concerns about the impact this referendum has on Jewish students and how the “referendum raises the specter of antisemitism.”

Pomona has investigated complaints and held judicial hearings on potential student code of conduct violations related to anti-Israel demonstrations. Moreover, during an April 2024 student-led anti-Israel demonstration that saw 150 students storm an administrative building and refuse to leave, Pomona College President Starr warned the students to leave or face disciplinary consequences. Following that event, several participants were arrested, and President Starr publicly announced that Pomona students who participated will be facing suspension and that participating students from other Claremont Colleges will be banned from Pomona’s campus.

Ahead of the 2024-25 academic year, Pomona College modified demonstration-related policies and added new dedicated campus safety staff. The College also established a ‘Year of Dialogue’ initiative to bring members of the campus community together across differences.

In advance of the October 2024 protest and Carnegie Hall occupation, the Administration was made aware of the planned walkout and the likelihood of disruption to the campus but did not organize increased security or clarify its policies pertaining to campus disruptions or time, place, and manner restrictions.  Although the Administration condemned the takeover and vandalism of Carnegie Hall and suspended those responsible for the remainder of the 2024-2025 academic year, the College did not acknowledge or condemn the fact that antisemitism was prevalent throughout the protest.