About 150 community members across the 7Cs gathered at Scripps College’s Elm Tree Lawn Thursday at 1 p.m. and marched to Pomona College’s Walker Beach to rally against sexual violence in the wake of drugging and sexual assault allegations at Cornell University. Co-organizers Don James (DJ) Posillico PO ’27 and Stephanie Li PZ ’28 brought together several student organizations, advocacy groups and Title IX Coordinators to spread awareness about sexual violence on college campuses and to protest the Cornell Administration. Li said she organized the rally to stand with the Cornell plaintiff, referred to as Jane Doe in a lawsuit filed last month, and every survivor of sexual violence.
Caprice Bielby
COVID-19 is back on campus, at a lower rate than last year
While the 5Cs continue to grapple with COVID-19, positive COVID test rates administered by Student Health Services (SHS) are lower this year than last.
Since the start of the academic year, SHS reported 15 positive COVID results out of 100 students tested through Sept. 25, meaning a 15% positivity rate. Last year, the positivity rate across a similar time period was 19%, meaning a four percentage point decrease.
Still, SHS warns that the figures do not represent all COVID infections across the Claremont Colleges, as many community members self-test with campus resources. “Students who are ill are encouraged to stay home when they have a fever, mask when appropriate, test when symptomatic, and contact SHS with questions or if symptoms worsen,” SHS stated.
CMC celebrates 50 years of co-education
From Sept. 25 to Sept. 26, Claremont McKenna (CMC) celebrated its 50th anniversary of co-education. CMC was initially founded as a men’s college in 1946, but officially opened enrollment to all genders in 1976. The Sept. 25 panel invited members from the class of 1980 — the first class of graduates that included women — to reflect on the historical evolution of CMC’s co-education, during which speakers emphasized the importance of accessible education to all genders. In interviews with TSL, some alumni explained what it was like to be women at CMC then and how that experience persists today.
Third ever Leftist Coffee Hour encourages unity among student activists
On Friday, Sept. 15, student activist organizations from across the 5Cs gathered at The Motley Coffeehouse for the third edition of the “Leftist Coffee Hour.” The Leftist Coffee Hour is an event featuring 15 different leftist-identifying student organizations, with representatives conducting presentations about their civic concerns, followed by a club showcase. The event enabled students to understand how to get politically engaged in issues such as environmental justice, prison abolition, affordable housing and more. Miranda Elder PO ’29, co-president of Inclusive Claremont, a club that advocates for affordable housing, echoed the importance of these gatherings, noting that one of the objectives of the Coffee Hour is creating an active community of progressive activists.
CMC ranks second in FIRE free speech rankings, other 5Cs receive failing grades
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) gave Claremont McKenna College (CMC) the second-place spot on its 2027 College Free Speech Rankings, a report that rates the free speech climates at college and university campuses nationwide. CMC received a passing “B-” grade from FIRE, while all of the other undergraduate Claremont Colleges received failing “F” grades.
Of the 261 colleges surveyed, Pitzer College ranked 160th, Scripps College ranked 167th, Harvey Mudd College ranked 184th and Pomona College ranked 226th. While the other Claremont Colleges saw increases in their rankings compared to last year, CMC dropped by one rank, losing its first-place spot to the University of Chicago.