The Boards of Trustees at Pomona College and Claremont Graduate University (CGU) voted today, Oct. 26, to approve a partnership that will establish Pomona as CGU’s parent institution.
The terms of the agreement position Pomona as the “sole corporate member” and grant the college “governance authority over major institutional decisions” at CGU, according to an Oct. 26 Pomona press release.
“Pomona’s Board will approve CGU’s operating budget each year, and if CGU decides to make major changes, such as those that affect its mission as a graduate institution, the Pomona Board’s approval will also be required,” a Pomona spokesperson said in email correspondence with TSL. “These decisions, including decisions about CGU’s directions and operations, start with CGU. Pomona’s role is to approve or decline what CGU proposes, not to make such changes itself.”
CGU will still exist as a distinct graduate school with its own Board and senior leadership and will retain control over its own operations, though the two schools will seek ways to collaborate through shared infrastructure and coordination of administrative and financial functions, according to the press release.
“CGU and Pomona are evaluating how administrative services are delivered today, and how integrating them could work in ways that are financially beneficial for both institutions,” the spokesperson said. “The affiliation will not lead to a reduction in Pomona staff positions and most Pomona staff roles will continue unchanged … The cost of positions dedicated to CGU work would be borne by CGU.”
The approval of the partnership follows an Oct. 6 email from Interim President Michelle Bligh to CGU faculty and staff, in which Bligh outlined how CGU will seek to address a projected $7.8 million operating deficit for the current fiscal year.
Planned cuts include introducing voluntary separation packages for faculty and staff, reducing academic schools and centers and consolidating university spaces and services. The cuts are included in CGU’s deficit reduction measures as the university attempts to balance its budget within five years, according to Nick Owchar, CGU director of executive and advancement communications, in an Oct. 15 statement to TSL.
CGU first announced it would be seeking a partnership to improve its financial standing in April 2025. Pomona President G. Gabrielle Starr announced that CGU and Pomona had entered into exclusive negotiations on Dec. 18, 2025.
“Pomona College would not have entered into these discussions and certainly would not have moved forward with an affiliation agreement if we didn’t believe that CGU was on track to transform itself,” the spokesperson said. “If CGU is falling short of its goals, the two institutions will see that early and work together on adjustments.”
The partnership may also offer new opportunities for Pomona students through research, internships, career development and graduate study, according to the spokesperson.
The partnership is expected to be finalized as early as June 2027, pending regulatory approvals. According to the press release, integration plans between the two institutions will begin to be implemented in the coming months.
This is breaking news and will continue to be updated as the story develops.
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