Dear Â鶹ӰÊÓ community,
As we approach the start of the spring semester and the return of students to campus, we continue to monitor the wildfires in the Los Angeles area and are in touch with those impacted by the fires, especially our own Â鶹ӰÊÓ community.
We’re relieved to report that Claremont has not been affected by the ongoing Southern California wildfires. Pomona’s campus is safe and operating normally. Claremont has experienced some moderate smoke, but air quality has not been seriously impacted, unlike our experience last fall. Accordingly, the Jan. 21 opening of spring semester is moving forward as planned and residence halls will reopen as scheduled on Jan. 18.
Safety is our primary concern, and the College has extensive emergency plans ready in case there is ever a need to evacuate our campus. For the latest campus emergency updates, please visit Pomona’s emergency webpage.
For context, the closest wildfire is the Eaton Fire in Altadena, approximately 30 miles west of us. Wind patterns continue to drive the fires further west and away from campus. That said, the College has experienced episodic high winds, and further strong gusts could knock down trees and blow in significant debris. Fortunately, our campus has not sustained damage thus far. If power should ever be disrupted, we have our own generators that can be used until electricity is restored by Southern California Edison.
Staff, faculty and students, please ensure that Everbridge, our emergency notification service, has your current cell phone number so you can receive emergency notifications from the College should the need ever arise.
The devastating wildfires have caused distress to many in our Pomona community. Last week, class deans contacted students who live in or near fire-affected areas. Students who need resources should contact their class dean. Acting President Bob Gaines, as well as our human resources staff, have also reached out to Pomona employees who have been affected by the wildfires, and we are actively working to support those in our community who have been impacted. Faculty and staff who have been impacted by the wildfires and have not yet been in contact, please reach out for support to Alejandra Gaytan in human resources. We are here to support you.
We look forward to welcoming students and faculty back to campus for the start of the semester. We’re thankful to our staff who have been working diligently to prepare our campus for spring semester.
 For additional information, see the FAQ for details related to wildfires, resources and returning to campus.
Robert Gaines, acting president
Avis Hinkson, vice president for student affairs and dean of students
Jeff Roth, vice president, COO and treasurer
Melanie Wu, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College