In the wake of the Oct. 7 20204 student protests, wherein students occupied Carnegie Hall, 5C students have been suspended and banned from the Claremont Colleges. Student reporters were also among those banned or suspended, and some student media organizations are under investigation. In response, The Outback Newsprint Magazine, The Claremont Undercurrents, and The Scripps Voice come together to argue why it’s important for Pomona’s administration to respect student reporters and freedom of press.
Opinions
OPINION: We will not tolerate collective punishment: Suspended students speak out
In the wake of the Oct. 7, 2024 occupation of Carnegie hall, Pomona College has subjected 10 students to extrajudicial suspension for the remainder of the academic year, removing them from their community, their homes and access to basic needs. These students have banded together to articulate their experience and the continued fight against the administration’s actions.
OPINION: A guide to ballot propositions
Are you a California native, are you looking at the proposition ballot and finding yourself endlessly confused by the legalese that inundates each entry? Fear not, Akshay Seetharam HM ’27 created a guide perfect for you, distilling the complexities of the ballot into more digestible pieces helping you make informed, measured decisions!
OPINION: Pomona will protest or perish
As Pomona and Scripps College double down on punishing student protestors, guest writer Maggie Zhang PO ’26 reflects on how protests serve as the ultimate expression of the college’s core values, and therefore must be protected and respected.
GUEST EDITORIAL: Pomona’s culpability under International Humanitarian Law
Mike Withey PO ’68 calls for us to reflect on our current state of the world and to recognize the responsibility that we ALL have. Withey specifically identifies Pomona as complicit in our current world crisis. Calling for Pomona to take responsibility under international law, Withey argues for an academic conference and divestment.
OPINION: Y/our language speaks us out of existence.
Luke Brown, PO ‘26 explores the work of being queer and nonbinary through the weight of culpability in our language and the construct of those around us. Our pronoun use particularly demonstrates y/our own anti-queer culpability. Brown explores how we navigate this space and the sensation of erasure.
OPINION: It’s time for Pomona to appoint a student trustee
In the current climate of student unrest, protests and disciplinary and judicial response from Pomona College, the valley between the world of students and administration has grown wider and wider. Eric Lu ’28 argues that Pomona could address this growing dissonance by electing a student voice to the Board of Trustees.
OPINION: You should go to Church
Wanna come to Scripps brunch? “Sorry I have Church,” is what you might hear Lisa Gorelik CM ’25 saying, if you ask her to a Sunday morning meal. Gorelik, missing her high school chapel time, decided to start exploring churches around the Claremont/Upland area. Going to many churches in the area, including Catholic, Presbyterian, Orthodox, Methodist, Unitarian, Episcopal , and non-denominational churches, Gorelik reminisces about high school, and calls on others to explore churchgoing to find hope, to practice gratitude, build community or just to get off campus.
OPINION: Petiscos, grounding and the battle against the sophomore slump
Ever need a getaway to reset from campus? A place for friends or a place to be anonymous? Well for Adam Akins PZ ’27, that place is Petiscos on First Street in the Claremont Village. Akins opens up about starting life at college, community and a new found vulnerability over burritos, tacos and cold horchata.
OPINION: Pomona’s fire response left students unprotected. Here’s what needs to change.
It’s fire season in Southern California as most Claremont Colleges students know. With a fire to the north, east and south, Claremont sits on the side of a triangle of fires. The air quality on campus was unhealthy for many days, but what did the Colleges do to protect their students’ health? Not enough, argues Scott Gowdy PO ’28.