So, you know the CARE Center, right? You probably know that it is located on the second floor of Heggblade, above the Dean of Students Office. You might know that part of its mission is "to build capacity in communicating across difference with respect and civility." But here's something you probably don't know about the CARE Center: it exists because of the activism of a small group of students of color, which began in February 2015. These students, who formed a group called CMCers of Color, met with administrators throughout the Spring and Summer of 2015 advocating for — among other things — a campus resource center for students of marginalized identities. Even at the end of that summer, when the administration went back on their agreement to create a resource center, students refused to give up and CMCers of Color continued to grow in size, partnering with other affinity groups, such as BSA, APAM, SAGA, and GenU. Collectively, they signed and published a letter detailing instances of racist, classist, and homophobic aggressions on campus, which highlighted the lack of institutional support and called for increased resources for marginalized students. The letter was followed by a demonstrationat the Hub, where students shared their experiences and list of demands. At this time, President Chodosh agreed to set up a temporary and eventually permanent space for the resource center. At the end of the 2015 fall semester, students gained access to one of the portable offices next to Bauer Center, Module G, as the temporary resource center. Early in the Spring 2016 semester, four students, including myself, were hired to direct programming for Mod G and help shape the permanent resource center. Mod G showed us a glimpse of what a vibrant, student-centered resource center could look and feel like. We filled a bookshelf with diverse, empowering narratives ranging from Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club to Assata, the autobiography of Assata Shakur. We hung art and posters with messages like, “A woman’s place is in the struggle,” “Black Lives Matter,” and “Queers Demand Gender Self-Determination.” We went to Ikea and picked out a coffee table, a rug, and other decorations. We planned a successful open house event where students, staff, and administrators wrote out their commitments to create an inclusive campus culture. We held office hours every week and welcomed all students into the space. We did our homework there and sometimes took naps on the couches. Because this was before a Dean of Diversity & Inclusion was hired, we did all of this without a direct supervisor. Together, we, the students, filled that tiny portable office with love and — yes — abundant care. But the care with which we nurtured our community in that space is not the same care from which our current resource center derives its name. How could it be when the first letter of the acronym CARE stands for "Civility”? The mission statement for the CARE Center contains the words "civil" or "civility" three times in the first paragraph, while the words "racism," "marginalized," and "students of color" are nowhere to be found. Enshrining civility as the primary value of this space dismisses the range of emotions that come with being a marginalized student at a place like CMC and tells them "you will be excluded from the discourse because the way you express yourself makes some people uncomfortable." Note that this tone polices students of color, which is irrefutably harmful because it values the comfort of the privileged over the feelings and lived experiences of the marginalized. The CARE Center’s mission statement does not reflect the vision and values of the students who fought so hard for the resource center and who were subsequently excluded from its creation. Let’s be very clear: this center would not exist if not for the labor of student organizers who fought for it. Our vision for the resource center, which we presented and discussed with the administration, was sanitized to the point of being unrecognizable. When looking at the CARE Center’s website, it is not immediately clear that this is a space meant to offer resources and support to students of marginalized identities. Here is its first guiding principle: “First, the center will be inclusive and open to all, regardless of background, identity, viewpoint, or values. It will aspire to be inviting to all students and to actively create opportunities for the broadest possible range of students to learn and use the space.” In bending over backward to emphasize that the space is open to all, it becomes unclear why the space even exists in the first place. The majority of CMC students don’t need a space like this because the entire campus is a safe space for them. This space should be for the minority of students who experience marginalization, discrimination, and microaggressions on campus and who need a space that makes them feel a little less alone in what can otherwise be a very isolating college experience. Frankly, I don’t care if “all” students feel comfortable in the CARE Center. I care that the students who the space was created for feel comfortable there. I care about all the students who feel like they don’t belong at CMC having one place on campus that centers and uplifts them. Moving forward, the CARE Center can better support students by properly acknowledging the history of resistance and student activism that led to its creation. The CARE Center must also de-emphasize civility and instead elevate its original intended mission: to support and empower students of marginalized identities. The CARE Center must offer better support for identity-based groups on campus (including dedicating permanent physical space within the center to each affinity group). This space must prioritize the needs and support of marginalized students above the comfort of more privileged students. This space must help students develop a critical consciousness around race, class, gender, power, and privilege and encourage them to think critically about their intersecting identities. This space must empower and support student activists, not ignore, silence, or tone police them. The CARE Center is here because of the students of color who fought for it, who sacrificed so much knowing they would likely never see the fruits of their labor, but believed it was worth it to give future marginalized students a better college experience. Though the space is not what we hoped it would be, it is a step in the right direction that it exists at all. If student activism taught me anything, it is how incredibly powerful our voices are when we raise them together to demand equity and justice. I have faith that current and future students will be able to reclaim this space and shape it into something that radically centers them and serves their needs. There are many ways to do this, but I think it must start with remembering the history of how it came to be.

For the past five years, Claremont McKenna College has invited approximately 30 high school seniors for a four-day long preview program taking place in three waves: one week in the fall and two weeks in the spring. Serving as a diversity initiative, the program allows students from underrepresented minority groups to experience CMC, usually taking place from Wednesday to Sunday. This particular interval includes Thursday and Saturday — two of the biggest party days on campus. However, this year's fall preview only lasted from Sunday, Oct. 8 to Tuesday, Oct. 10, which significantly reduced the duration of the students’ stay. In addition to diversifying the student body, the preview program promises a fully encompassing CMC experience, but with the change, it now fails to fulfill this promise. CMC takes pride in its highly social culture and prevalent party culture, but if party days are excluded, how will students ever see it in action? Moreover, placing the program in the middle of the midterm season did not help the hosts, even though it partially disclosed the academic rigor to the students as one CMC student commented. Just earlier this year, I participated in the preview program, eager to get a glimpse of my soon-to-be new home. During my time, I engaged in academic workshops, attended financial aid info sessions, and forged new bonds. Amongst all of these activities, the program still set aside time for fun. Luckily for me, Thursday was included, so I attended Thursday Night Club (TNC) with a few of the current students. I even got invited to a pre-game. Come Sunday, I did not want to leave campus or return to my pedestrian life back in Little Rock, Arkansas. I saw a life full of exuberance and overwhelming opportunity, but only through the vignette offered by this program. Immersed in the college environment, I truly felt like a CMCer, if only for three days. Now on the flip side, I hosted a prospective student who felt unsure if he fully experienced all aspects of CMC. Sadly enough, he was not the only student to harbor similar feelings of uncertainty. The other hosts and I disclosed as much truth behind the campus culture as possible; however, words only reveal so much and are no substitute for first-hand experience. After all, the students came here to preview CMC, not to just hear about it from current students. On another note, some of the older students on campus have expressed concerns about the actual authenticity of the program. You spend four days on campus with students who come from similar backgrounds but arrive only to realize the immense privilege of the collective student body, which, once again, emphasizes the student’s minority status. I understand where this concern comes from, but it is also important to address the impact of socioeconomic status on students’ ability to visit campus. Students from wealthy backgrounds have the ability to visit campus whenever they choose. Some of the students visit on days with parties while others do not, but they have the luxury of being able to plan a trip around their specific wants and needs. Preview students do not have this privilege, so why further limit their brief CMC experience? The goal of the preview program should be to provide a similar experience to that of a current student, not to try to convince the students to attend by romanticizing CMC’s culture. Excluding party days does not aid in this effort. If you ask me, CMC Admissions delivered a disservice to this batch of prospective students. The act of advertising one image but then actively withholding that image by omitting certain days left students in the dark. This is not to say that the program failed in other regards because if given the chance as a senior to partake in the fall or spring preview, I would do it all again—with or without the parties. One thing is for sure: the program's mission to increase diversity and lessen the burden for students from low-income households to visit campus highlights an important disparity in college culture. The only factor missing is the complete and authentic experience, as promised to all prospective students.

Sex Week, a week of sex-positive workshops and events organized by CMC Advocates, took place Monday, Oct. 23 to Friday, Oct. 27. With a wide range of topics such as “Orgasm, Anarchy” and “Sexy Safer Sex,” the week provided students with first-hand opportunities to learn more about the pleasures of sex, body positivity, STDs, consent, and condoms. Most students have had some form of sexual education before coming to college, whether it be based on abstinence or how to have safe sex. But what differentiated this event from past sex-ed experiences is that Mia Li encouraged students to not only engage in consensual sex, but also take it one step further by exploring the unknown realms of kinky pleasure. Li challenged the stereotypes and overgeneralizations surrounding bondage, discipline, dominance, submission, sadomasochism, and other related dynamics (BDSM) and denounced the shame associated with such activities which many consider outside of their sexual comfort zones. As with any other type of sex, she regarded consent as the number one priority. In order to correctly practice BDSM, it must be sane, safe, and consensual, according to the guidelines set by Li. She defined these terms as: Sane: being in a state of mind to be able to assess risk, safety, and communicate consent Safe: minimized risk of unwanted, unintended injury or disease/infection Consensual: an agreement to partake in physical, emotional, and sexual exchange with mutual agreement She then redirected us into a more personal reflection, asking us to think about our needs, wants, and desires. During this exercise, we were forced to reflect on our sexual history and determine how it impacted present feelings. The result was a comical account of adults attempting to convey their inner emotions. Who would have ever thought that this could be so difficult? Despite the initial discomfort, Li reassured us to push through the awkwardness, and once again, motivated us to discuss these taboo issues more openly. Furthermore, she stressed the importance of knowing your personal hard and soft limits; the former is non-negotiable under any circumstance and the latter is occasionally negotiable. As a group, we also practiced defining these boundaries in a mini-workshop geared towards improving our communication practices, such as verbal check-ins and safe word usage. By the end, we had a much better understanding of the two types of sexual limits and how knowing these concepts contribute to a safer sex climate. Altogether, the O.school, Mia Li, and CMC Advocates provided an amazing opportunity to keep these conversations about sex, sexuality, and pleasure open. Sex is heavily stigmatized because students are only taught about sex; the key importance of this week was that the talks and events were inclusive, informative, and fun. The pleasure professionals were not lecturing the students, but rather, they engaged with us and answered our curiosities. These discussions are indicative of a healthy, fun, and safe sex climate on campus To conclude her presentation, Li reaffirmed the significance of limits and disclosed her favorite sexual activities. “I love being called a slut, but not in a derogatory way. I want it to come from a place of high praise like ‘you go slut!’” Li’s fierce comfort with her sexuality inspired us to learn more about ours and exposed the commonly disregarded topic of safe, consensual sex. Here are our biggest takeaways: take the time to discover your body and what it likes, and always remain unapologetic for your wants, needs, and desires. Be shameless about your sexual fantasies.

Sander at the Ath last spring. By Rachel Supnick On June 29, 2023, the Supreme Court ruled on one of the most controversial topics in higher education: affirmative action. With a 6-3 conservative supermajority, SCOTUS abandoned years of precedent and effectively struck down race-conscious admissions in the United States. Opponents have long loathed the policy for its supposed discrimination against White and Asian students in college admissions. In April 2023, Claremont McKenna College invited UCLA School of Law professor Richard Sander – known for suing the University of California system for not releasing admissions data – to speak at the Athenaeum, where he compared today’s race-conscious admissions to the Jewish quotas at Ivy League schools in the 1920s. As a Jewish CMCer in the audience, I was dumbfounded by his claim. Sander and his like-minded colleagues completely miss the point of affirmative action, which is to bring marginalized students up to an equal playing field in higher education. While Jewish quotas were constructed to keep Jews out, affirmative action was designed to let underrepresented minority students into highly ranked schools like mine. The policy allows groups facing historical, systemic inequality to get a leg up in education. Naturally the result does not favor Whites and Asians, and justly so, as these groups are not facing the same historic socioeconomic disadvantages. The same opponents of affirmative action often subscribe to the idea that underrepresented students are ill-prepared for the academic rigor of top-tier universities. They argue that students of color end up being hurt by affirmative action when they could have performed better at lower-ranked schools where they were more equally equipped to succeed. This concept is known as the “mismatch theory,” and by no coincidence, Richard Sander is its founder. Studies supporting the existence of this so called “mismatch” are few and far between. In Sander’s talk he pointed to convoluted tables of misleading data showing Black law students earning lower grades on average than White students and requiring more attempts to pass the bar. But in his own study on UC law schools, when the ranking and quality of each students’ undergraduate education is considered, Black and White students perform on par with one another. The gap in grades could also be attributed to a lack of inclusivity programs designed to help minority students thrive academically and socially at their undergraduate and graduate schools. Recently at CMC’s TedX conference titled “ME-lting Pot” – hosted the same month as Sander’s visit – students of color shared that affinity groups like 1Gen are vital for people of color and first-generation college students to succeed in predominately white institutions like ours. Emerging case studies at universities across the country also show a trend between inclusivity programs and the retention rate of underrepresented minority students. At North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, for example, Latino first-gen students are thriving under the school’s “Cardinal First” program – an affinity group for first-generation students – compared to their peer group not enrolled in the program. Latino first-generation students in Cardinal First demonstrated an 89% retention rate from their first to second year of college compared to only 52% for students in the same demographic who are not participating in the program. To put it starkly, getting a student into a school is not enough to guarantee they will perform at the same level as their White counterparts from families with multiple generations of schooling, and that reflects the work to be done in improving higher education, not students’ capabilities. To envision our future without affirmative action, we need only look at the aftermath of California’s Proposition 209. The policy banned the consideration of race, sex, or ethnicity in admissions at California public universities in 1998. The result was alarming: Black and Hispanic enrollment at flagship universities dropped steeply, and minority students cascaded into less selective institutions, according to a comprehensive study performed by Zachary Bleemer, Assistant Professor of Economics at Yale, on applicants to eight campuses in the UC system from 1994 to 2002. While Sander was keen to talk about correcting mismatch, he failed to mention that when underrepresented minority students began attending lower-quality universities post-Prop 209, they graduated at lower rates than before. In the long-run, the students who were pushed down in the education-hierarchy faced lower average wages in their 20s and 30s. All the while, White and Asian students saw little benefit, counter to the long-espoused narrative that these demographics would be better off without racial preferences in admissions. If the years following Prop 209 are any indication, racial and socioeconomic diversity in universities around the country will soon all but disappear. Policy proposals banning legacy admits and student-athlete preferences may help, but will likely be just as contentious, as will socioeconomic status (SES)-conscious admissions. Supporters of affirmative action must turn to policies that address the root causes of educational inequality: teacher-quality gaps in K-12. Teachers have proven to be the most essential factor in students’ achievement, yet minority students tend to have less qualified and less effective teachers than their White peers. Transporting students of color to higher-income schools won’t fly with affluent parents whose taxes go towards their kids’ public schools. If we can’t pass laws that bring students to good teachers, we must bring the teachers to them. In a study funded by the US Department of Education, high-performing teachers across ten school districts in seven states were offered $20,000 bonuses to teach at low-performing schools. Elementary schools in the study saw the black-white achievement gap disappear within four years. Affirmative action is far gone. To continue giving students of color a fighting chance at a top-tier collegiate education, we must reform our school system from the bottom-up – starting with access to our best teachers. A policy closing teacher-quality gaps in public schools will not come to fruition quickly, but it is worth the investment to enable disadvantaged students to claim the equal opportunities they deserve.

While room draw is nearing and the stress and anxiety is building, students can finally look forward to knowing their new home for the upcoming school year. This post includes an assortment of unique and creative dorm rooms at CMC to ease your nerves about room draw. Take a look at some cool dorm set-ups and feel inspired to begin planning your own room for next semester. Vera Armus '18 (Beckett) Juan Perez '17 and Ramon Gomez '17 (Green) Jennifer Mace '19 (Auen) Patrick Hennessey '19 and Brendan Suh '19 (Crown) Austin Melody '17 (Apartments) Oona Pritchard '17 (Apartments)

This year, Toga took place on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Flamson Plaza. Students donned bed sheets of all colors, lengths and intricacies. Check out a few photos from the evening by two of our photographers, Joshua Graves '20 and Connor Bloom '19.

On Saturday, Oct. 21, students from across the 5C's dressed to the nines for Claremont McKenna College's annual Monte Carlo. Under the twinkling lights of this year's Starry Night theme, students gambled and danced the night away. Here are some of our favorite photos from the night with the rest linked here. Photos by Connor Bloom '19 and Joshua Graves '20

Another successful Wedding Party in the books. Congratulations to the 2018 Mr. Stag and Mrs. Athena, Ryan Sung '18 and Cristina Lee '18. Check out a few photos from our photographers this past weekend. For more pictures, check out our Flickr page! Photo Credit: Connor Bloom '19, Joshua Graves '20, and Krystal Sung '19

Last semester, 80 CMCers got the chance to experience a change of scenery from the typical Bauer and Kravis classroom setting. Take a look at their adventures this past fall from all over the globe. They might just spark your interest to go abroad! Photo by Rebecca Shane '19 - Geneva, Switzerland "Studying abroad in Geneva was an incredible experience for me! I had the opportunity to study international relations in the hub of international politics. I got to meet diplomats and policymakers, and visit international agencies, including UN agencies, the Red Cross, and the World Trade Organization. I also got to travel throughout Switzerland to see some of the most amazing and beautiful sights in the world, including this lake in Oeschinensee." Photo by Lauren Calogero '19 - Tokyo, Japan Photo by Kelly Ransom '19 - Sydney, Australia "During the 2017 fall semester, I had the opportunity to spend five great months in Sydney, Australia. I spent time learning about the Australian culture and exploring Sydney to find my favorite hidden coffee shops and restaurants. I was also able to travel to spectacular beaches like Whitehaven Beach in the Whitsundays and hang out with some of the local kangaroos!" Photo by Malka Kausar '19 - Budapest, Hungary "My time abroad in Budapest was a time of fun and unexpectedly close friendships. One of my most enjoyable days in Budapest was spent at Szechenyi Thermal Bath, located a short tram ride away from my dorm. My best friend abroad, Noa, and I spent close to an entire day soaking in the baths and befriending random bath-goers. It was one of the last 70-degree days in Budapest while I was there, so I'd say it was a day well spent." Photo by Owen Dubeck '19 - Cape Town, South Africa "My friend Nick and I did a weekend trip to Namibia, only a two-hour flight from Cape Town. I ended up purposely missing my flight and staying much longer." Photo by Mei Masuyama '19 - Copenhagen, Denmark "Here I am enjoying the Silica Mud Mask at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland." Photo by William Cullen '19 - Jaipur, India "I studied abroad in Jaipur through the SIT program, focusing on sustainable development and social change. As an Environment, Economics, and Politics major, I had the opportunity to learn about economic development initiatives and how they relate to traditional livelihoods and practices. I am sitting on a step well in the historic city of Amer, just outside of Jaipur. Amer used to be the capital of Rajasthan, which is situated in the Thar Desert, and the city constantly needed well-engineered solutions to provide drinking water to the area. Local villagers traditionally use step wells to access clean and drinkable water." Photo by Jeremy Anderson '19 - Havana, Cuba "I spent last semester studying abroad in Cuba through Sarah Lawrence College's program in Havana. In addition to attending classes at the University of Havana, I was able to take salsa classes a couple times a week with a group of students from my program. This was a great way to stay active while also learning more about Cuban music and culture. My parents actually met while salsa dancing, so they were really excited when I had told them that I was taking salsa classes." Photo by Roxane Sazegar '19 - Amman, Jordan Photo by Kara Schacter '19 - Vienna, Austria "While a lot of people tend to use their study abroad experiences to travel around Europe, I tried to see as much of Austria as I could and to really understand the Austrian culture. One of the most breathtaking experiences was skiing the Tyrolean Alps. I may not have had the typical euro trip, but I feel much more connected to Austria and its people." Photo by Elizabeth Wainstein '19 - Rabat, Morocco "This picture was taken at Oum Rabia, which is a small town that took us about five hours by cab to reach. The town consists of a waterfall leading into a streamlined by shacks decorated with beautiful carpets where visitors can sit and enjoy some sheep tajine and Moroccan mint tea." Photo by Amiya Narula '19 - Madrid, Spain "Studying abroad in Madrid was an absolutely phenomenal experience. I was able to practice my Spanish, get to know locals, and learn about the food, music, and culture. Madrid became home before I knew it, and I found myself wandering around and exploring different neighborhoods and museums every day. I often fell in love with little cafes on random street corners. I can’t wait to be back in Madrid as soon as possible."

Over the weekend, hundreds of thousands of people turned out for the Women's March in Los Angeles. Among the crowds this past weekend were CMC students becoming a part of the uplifting and empowering atmosphere surrounding the day. Take a look at some pictures shot by CMC and Scripps students this past Saturday to learn more about their experiences at the Women's March. Photos by Shreya Bhatnagar '20 "This was my first Women's March and the only word to describe it was 'invigorating.' So many men, women, and people of different identities gathered on a cold LA day to show solidarity with women across the world."

With only 100 days left until graduation, the senior class spent last Thursday celebrating their time at CMC. Thanks to the Senior Class President Daniel Ludlum '18, the Class of 2018 got to enjoy a night away singing and dancing in Pasadena. Take a look at a few photos from the event! For more photos, check out our Flickr page. Photo Credit: Justin Law '19, Devang Patel '19, and Krystal Sung '19