Dear Pitzer Faculty and Staff,

I am thrilled to officially be on board, starting today! During the last couple of months, I’ve been working closely with Pitzer community members who have been gracious with their time as they prepare me to serve as interim president. While the presidential search is underway, we must continue to attend to College priorities and prepare the College for its next leader.

Melvin Oliver’s steady leadership during the pandemic has helped to ensure that the College is thriving. We will miss Melvin and Suzanne, and we wish them well in their retirement. I know that Melvin, as Trustee Emeritus, will continue to support our efforts to further the important goals of the College, and especially of the Melvin L. Oliver Racial Justice Initiative. 

Before I arrive on campus in mid-July, I will be hosting Washington D.C.-area first year students and their families at one of the many Pitzer Summer Welcome Receptions taking place around the country. I will then move west and will welcome Claremont-area new students and families at the President’s House reception in August.

Fall semester planning is well underway, and you can expect to learn more details as we anticipate a fully residential learning experience. Central to our planning is our focus on health and wellness. I look forward to seeing each of you on campus. Please be sure to introduce yourself, or reintroduce yourself, as I work to match names and faces as quickly as possible. 

A topic on everyone’s minds right now is the challenging impact and response to the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that eliminates the constitutional right to an abortion.  This is an evolving insurance benefits situation, but fortunately for us, California provides ongoing support for reproductive healthcare, including abortions, and Pitzer HR is working with the Consortium to provide updates from our insurance companies. The attached FAQ is designed to address initial questions that have already come up, with more to come. We will diligently follow developments in this area and update the College community regularly, to ensure we are supporting our students and greater community in every way we can.    

I am especially excited to share two significant fall programming highlights, and I hope you will mark your calendars to attend. First, we are happy to announce the return of Convocation, followed by a Festival of Flavors featuring Pitzer dining on Friday, September 2. Please join us on the Mounds as we officially welcome our new students and celebrate the Pitzer community. Next, Family Weekend will move from the spring term to the weekend of October 28-30, when we will join with Pomona to cheer on our Sagehens and welcome our families to campus. Details will follow later in the summer as we reinvigorate some of our favorite campus traditions. 

I hope you take time to enjoy your family and friends this July 4th weekend and just recharge the summer after a challenging couple of academic years. Thank you to everyone who has already made me feel welcome on campus. I look forward to seeing you all soon. 

Provida Futuri,

Jill A. Klein

Interim President