Message from President Strom C. Thacker and Board Chair Donald P. Gould

May 3, 2024

Dear Pitzer Community, 

Pitzer College graduates are distinct in that their diplomas affirm not only their commitment to academic rigor and achievement but that they have spent significant time actively engaged in their community and developing their commitment to individual and collective social responsibility. 

The Israel-Hamas war that began last fall has instigated many conversations in our community around global politics, history, religion, free speech and expression, and inclusivity. These discussions are often challenging and impassioned, and we are proud of the integrity and respect with which Pitzer community members have engaged with one another.

In that spirit, we met today with three Pitzer students and a faculty member for a constructive conversation around student-led protests and the issues at the center of their campus demonstrations. As a result of our dialogue, Pitzer has agreed to the following:

• Not later than June 30, 2024, it will make material disclosure of its holdings in military and weapons manufacturers, if any. Such disclosure will be subject to the legal limitations Pitzer has agreed to with the fund manager, but we are confident the disclosure will be sufficiently detailed to satisfy the request. 
• During the summer, the Board will review its policy on endowment disclosure to determine what additional information on endowment holdings it can provide to the Pitzer community on an ongoing basis. Our goal would be to begin providing that additional information beginning not later than September 30, 2024. 

The Board of Trustees earnestly manages the endowment for the benefit and endurance of the College and is amenable to helping the Pitzer community better understand its investment strategies. We invite you to read a message from Board Chair Don Gould that provides additional details about the history and methodology that inform the management of the endowment.

Finally, our community is preparing to honor the Class of 2024 on May 11. These Pitzer graduates, like so many before them, share our commitment to social responsibility. They are engaged. They are passionate. And they are now prepared to apply their Pitzer education to improve their communities and the world around them. These graduates, with all they have overcome and worked to achieve, deserve a joyous and celebratory commencement ceremony with their families and friends. We call on our shared community to come together in that spirit of commemoration to honor their success. We look forward to seeing many of you there.

Provida Futuri,

Strom C. Thacker, President                                            
Donald P. Gould, Chair, Board of Trustees