Drop the Pomona Suspensions
Overturn the Bans
On October 7, 2024, over 480 Claremont Colleges students walked out of class and rallied around Pomona’s campus, with some students reclaiming an academic building as the Refaat Alareer University—named in honor of the Palestinian poet and author martyred in December, 2023. This protest marked one year of genocide and ethnic cleansing in Palestine
On October 23, Pomona College escalated its crackdown on pro-Palestine student activism, as 10 students received abrupt notifications of permanent suspension for the rest of the academic year. The repression continued, as two more students received notice of suspension on October 25. These emails—sent without prior hearing, evidence, or clear charges—marks an unprecedented violation of fair procedures at Pomona. President Gabi Starr unilaterally made this decision, bypassing JBoard and disregarding all standard procedures for fair hearings.
This wave of repression began on October 11, 2024, when 12 students—predominantly BIPOC and disproportionately first gen and low-income—were targeted with interim suspensions. These students were banned from campus and denied access to housing, meals, and classes, severing them from essential resources with no formal charges or scheduled hearings. Each received identical suspension notices that failed to provide evidence or justify the harsh sanctions imposed. The recent email from October 23 claiming all the suspended students “acknowledged” involvement in the events of October 7 is a blatant fabrication by Starr, attempting to justify these extreme actions and further reflecting a complete disregard for procedural fairness and genuine dialogue.
Even now, Pomona has threatened further bans, suspensions, and even expulsions in an ongoing campaign of intimidation, creating a climate of fear among students who dare to speak out. An additional 6 students are currently under investigation for potential conduct violations, facing imminent suspension. Meanwhile, 36 non-Pomona students have been issued year-long campus bans, the vast majority of which were immediately upheld without serious consideration of their appeals.
Join us NOW in demanding President Gabi Starr:
- overturn the 10 Pomona students’ unilateral suspensions and allow their disciplinary cases to be heard by the Judicial Council, as consistent with fair procedures and the principles of the College
- lift the 36 non-Pomona students’ full-year campus bans
READ THE FULL SUSPENDED STUDENT STATEMENT HERE.
TAKE ACTION
Please do any and all that apply to you – your voice matters, and a mass movement rejecting and condemning Starr’s actions can make a difference. The time you take to do this directly supports students facing enormous consequences with no fair process as part of pro-Palestine repression.
3. SIGN THE PARENT PETITION (for Pomona parents)
4. WRITE AN IMPACT STATEMENT (for individuals)
5. WRITE A STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY (for groups)
6. SIGN THE COLLECTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL STATEMENT (for 7C orgs)
7. DONATE TO PROTESTERS’ MUTUAL AID
8. SHARE THE ACTION TOOLKIT WIDELY
1. CONTACT PRESIDENT STARR & ADMIN 📞
Email & Call President Gabi Starr and College admin using these TEMPLATES.
If you have Outlook you can also use this automated email tool.
*But please customize the subject so you don’t get blocked as spam!
2. SIGN THE PETITION ✍️
Sign this pledge to tell President Gabi Starr and the Pomona administration that parents will not stand by while student activists are met with repression. Tell Pomona College Administration to DROP THE SUSPENSIONS against students.
3. SIGN THE PARENT PETITION ✍️
Sign this pledge to tell President Gabi Starr and the Pomona administration that parents will not stand by while student activists are met with repression.
4. WRITE AN IMPACT STATEMENT📝
Submit statements in support of suspended students. Let Gabi Starr know that the real harm done to our community lies in suspending students for no demonstrated reason.
5. WRITE A STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY🤝
If you are affiliated with 7C groups of any kind, please write and widely circulate a statement of solidarity in support of suspended students and to pressure Starr to drop the suspensions. Then, use your collective power to advocate directly with your institution.
Here is a guide to writing statements supporting suspended students and condemning Starr’s unilateral suspensions.
6. SIGN THE COLLECTIVE ORGANIZATIONAL SUPPORT STATEMENT🤝
If you are affiliated with 7C groups of any kind, please sign this collective statement in support of the demand to allow suspended students to go through J board.
7. DONATE TO STUDENTS’ MUTUAL AID💲
Without any fair procedures, Pomona College president Gabi Starr unilaterally suspended 10 Pomona students for the entire year. The students targeted are overwhelmingly students of color and disproportionately first-gen and low-income. This has threatened these students' emotional, mental, and material wellbeing – evicting them from their housing, depriving them of their jobs, food, classes, and health care access, and jeopardizing their financial aid and scholarships that make attending Pomona possible. Community support has been the sole provider of basic needs. If you are able, please venmo @NobodyFails5cs with the comment “Pomona suspensions.” Any and all contributions help.
8. SHARE THE ACTION TOOLKIT WIDELY!🔗
Share this toolkit in your social circles – via text, social media, supportive faculty, and any email networks you are a part of – and publicize this campaign widely. We have power in collectivity.