Around 30 students picketed the entrances to Pomona College’s Frary dining hall at 11 a.m. on Friday, April 10 — chanting, holding cardboard signs and drumming on buckets. The demonstration, organized by the Claremont Student Workers Alliance (CSWA), encouraged 5C students to boycott the dining hall and advocate for the reinstatement of recently fired cook Rolando “Rolo” Araiza.
Picketers said the boycott directly pressured Pomona to rehire Rolo, asking students to spend meal-plan money at the other colleges. They added that making noise in the picket line drew attention to their cause, something other forms of demonstrations may not accomplish.
“I think you can do a lot of talking, but I think when you really start singing and yelling is when you can really get your message across in different ways,” Una Marie Lake SC ’29 said.
News
Angela Davis and Rishi Sunak among commencement speakers this May
Last Thursday, Claremont McKenna College announced that former U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and businesswoman Akshata Murty CM ’02, his wife, will be the joint speakers at its commencement ceremony this May. On Monday, Pitzer College announced that it would be welcoming Angela Davis — author, professor and political activist — as its commencement speaker.
These historically controversial speakers have sparked excitement on campus for their arrivals and the values they represent.
Scripps appoints administrative supervisor to Motley; staff say student-run structure is threatened
The Motley Coffeehouse, a historically student-run cafe and popular event space at Scripps College, will undergo administrative changes beginning summer 2026 — potentially jeopardizing its entirely student-run business model, Motley staff said.
Stacey Miller, The Motley’s current administrative advisor, announced at an all-staff meeting March 8 that she will be taking on new responsibilities as a supervisor to the coffeehouse, alongside the Scripps Store.
Multiple Motley employees said they felt “blindsided” by this change.
5Cs admit class of 2030; CMC to reinstate testing in Fall 2028
As the 5Cs continue to evaluate test-optional policies, students said differences in access to standardized testing shaped their approach to the admissions process, particularly for international applicants. While some colleges have made their policies permanent, others plan to reinstate testing requirements in future cycles.
Claremont Police Commission holds first meeting since homicide of Diego Rios; community demands reform
Last Thursday the Claremont Police Commission held their first meeting since the homicide of Diego Rios. Claremont community members — including many 5C students — spoke out during public comment seeking accountability and reform from the city.
The Commission did not respond to demands or suggestions from speakers throughout the meeting.
Chickens return to Pitzer Garden after theft last semester
Pitzer Student Garden introduced 10 new chicks to their coop in late February after the suspected theft of two chickens last semester. This week, the birds were introduced to the outdoor run area of their coop, providing students with an opportunity to meet them.
The recent coop expansion gives the chicks more space and allows people to peek at them through the windows. This interaction helps their socialization process, according to Garden Manager Miriam Hafkin PZ ’28.
Pomona and Pitzer move from ‘F’ to ‘C’ grades in Anti-Defamation League Rankings; Scripps maintains failing grade
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) upgraded Pomona and Pitzer Colleges’ rankings from ‘F’ to ‘C’ grades in their 2026 Campus Antisemitism Report Card released last month, while Scripps College received an ‘F’ grade again and Claremont McKenna and Harvey Mudd Colleges remained unranked.
ADL reached out to both Pomona and Pitzer prior to releasing this year’s rankings and Pomona “shared some general information about Jewish life on campus,” a Pomona College spokesperson wrote in an email to TSL.
While the spokesperson said the college is “encouraged” by the updated ranking, the numerical value is not their only measure of progress.
CMCMUN wins seventh global championship, credits team culture for success
Claremont McKenna College’s Model United Nations (CMCMUN) team is now a seven-time Harvard World Model United Nations (WorldMUN) champion after winning Best Small Group Delegation at this year’s conference in Peru over Spring Break.
WorldMUN, widely considered the “Olympics of collegiate Model UN,” hosts more than 2,000 students from over 110 countries in a different country each year. Last month, student delegates traveled to Lima, Peru, to participate in 15 hours of committee meetings over the five-day conference from Thursday, March 15, to Sunday, March 19.
Seven delegates from the team received awards — four of whom received “Best Delegate” in their respective committees. Samuel Johnson-Saeger CM ’26, one of the trip’s organizers, attributed the team’s continuous success to its unconventional structure as an entirely student-led organization. He said this attracts enthusiastic, qualified and dedicated students.
Pomona approves $125 million investment plan for new Center for Global Engagement; students express housing concerns
Pomona College President Gabrielle Starr confirmed in an announcement last month that the college’s Board of Trustees approved a $125 million investment plan for the Center for Global Engagement (CGE), the facility that will replace Oldenborg Center for Modern Languages and International Relations, a residential complex and dining hall where students learn and practice foreign languages.
College officials said they will adjust for the temporary decrease in housing after Oldenborg is demolished and before the CGE is completed.
MULTIMEDIA: 5CEJ Field Day draws student support for renewable energy switch at the 5Cs
On February 28, 5C Environmental Justice organized a “Field Day” at Walker Beach, encouraging students to learn more about their renewable energy “Claremont OFF Fossil Fuels” campaign. In this video, the TSL Multimedia team highlights the 15 environmental and political clubs and organizations from across the consortium who took part in the event to support 5CEJ’s campaign and build community in an afternoon of music, lawn games and outreach.