Dear Pitzer College Community,

Pitzer College has been selected within the 7C colleges by the Claremont Students for Justice In Palestine (SJP), a 7-College student organization, as the site for the temporary installation of an “Apartheid Wall” for the organization’s protest during its Israeli Apartheid Week. The wall is presented to the Pitzer and other 7C college communities as a protest, a free speech exercise. Walls of this type have been erected in colleges and universities across the nation and some have suggested that discourse associated with the walls is testing the limits of free speech.

I am aware of the high emotions, the rhetoric and the complexity of the situation in the Middle East. I’m also aware that our students have very strong feelings both regarding the wall and the diversity of opinions. My hope is that we use the core values of Pitzer, which include civility, respect and dialogue as a basis of conversation and further discussion of this difficult issue. Pitzer remains open to considering multiple points of view, to caring for each other and focusing on our shared positive values.

We strongly encourage intellectual curiosity, productive discourse and opposing views that may broaden our perspectives as citizens.

We recommit ourselves to the higher values that brought us here and ethical treatment of one another. Every individual is entitled to freedom from fear and stigma, and the respect of others to pursue a life of meaning and purpose. Pitzer College supports greater acceptance, not less. The core values that brought us here ultimately make us stronger together.

As always, please reach out to these offices that are here to support our community.

  • Monsour Counseling and Psychological Services at (909) 621-8202
  • Office of the Dean of Faculty at (909) 621-8217
  • The Office of Student Affairs at (909) 607-2821
  • Chaplains Office at (909) 621-8685

Sincerely,
Melvin L. Oliver
President