Dear Pitzer Community:
After a career of 45 years serving higher education and philanthropy, I want to share with you that I have given notice to the Board of Trustees that I will retire at the end of this academic year.
Suzanne and I look forward to the next stage of our lives where we can focus on ourselves and our family without the stress and responsibilities that are part of a college presidency.
Being the sixth President of Pitzer College has been a privilege and an honor. I will always think fondly of the many kindnesses that the Pitzer community has shown to Suzanne and me, as well as the relationships we have formed with students, faculty, staff, trustees, parents, alumni, donors and friends.
As a community we have struggled together through critical campus issues, come together to develop a strategic plan for our future, planned thoughtfully and strategically for the expansion of our sciences program, and faced down a global pandemic to preserve the health and safety of our community. All these things we did together, and always with Pitzer’s best interests at the forefront.
I am confident that I will be leaving Pitzer stronger and with a bright future ahead. As a result of our collective efforts, Pitzer College is primed to continue doing great things. I will forever be a cheerleader and supporter of Pitzer College.
You will receive a message from the Board of Trustees shortly that will address some of the significant issues related to this transition.
Over the next five months, I will continue my focus on serving the community as we hopefully move out of pandemic mode and establish normal routines and relations on campus, break ground on our new science building, address our issues with Title IX, and move forward on campus diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice initiatives.
Thank you for the opportunity I have had to serve you.
Provida Futuri,
Melvin L. Oliver
President
