On Wednesday, November 20, Pomona College's trustees announced that their rigorous search for the ninth president of Pomona College had ended. Following the recommendations of the Presidential Search Committee, Pomona's trustees revealed that actor and activist Arnold Schwarzenegger has accepted the position of President of Pomona College.
Arnold Schwarzenegger has appeared in 26 films spanning 3 decades and will be starring in his 27th film, Terminator 3, to be released at the beginning of next year. Originally from Austria, Mr. Schwarzenegger is best known, both for his rippling biceps (he is a former Mr. Universe and the winner of an unprecedented 7 Mr. Olympia awards) and his action movies including the Terminator and Conan films.
President Schwarzenegger made clear both that he was satisfied with his new position and that he wanted bring his best efforts to the college. "Arnold is honored to be your new President," said Mr. Schwarzenegger, "I look forward to eliminating the cyborgs on campus and bringing more body building to the college…I will pump Pomona up."
While Schwarzenegger was optimistic in his comments, Pomona faculty and administrators were incredulous.
"There was a time when having a doctorate degree and a record of accomplishment in academia was requisite for being a college president. As I understand it, Mr. Schwarzenegger's only pedagogical experience is Kindergarten Cop," said one Pomona professor who wished to remain anonymous.
Dean of Students Ann Quinley was more positive, expressing that she hoped she could work well with Schwarzenegger. "I think President Schwarzenegger will be a valuable addition to the Pomona community and will allow Pomona to reach out to areas, such as physical education, that have sometimes been neglected. I sincerely doubt that he will be an academic Predator as some students and faculty have suggested." While she refused to comment as to whether she would be leaving Pomona in light of the leadership change, Dr. Quinley did say, "I guess New England winters aren't that cold."
The search committee defended their recommendation of Schwarzenegger by saying that he would bring both notoriety and a new perspective to the college. Search committee chair and attorney Paul F. Eckstein said, "Arnold not only brings an international flavor to Pomona's administration, but he will be a real live celebrity right on campus. Besides, he brings solid experience in government as the former chairman of President Bush Sr.'s Council on Fitness."
President Schwarzenegger, having recently served as spokesman for the successful California Proposition 49, is widely regarded as a potential Republican candidate for Governor of California in 2006. Many political analysts felt that Schwarzenegger had lobbied for his position at Pomona in order to present an image of gravitas. "Arnold Schwarzenegger is considered a leader for the Republican nomination and by serving as the president of an elite college, Schwarzenegger can prove to people that he is more than just Conan the Barbarian turned to politics," said John Pittney, Republican commentator and professor of politics at Claremont McKenna College.
Indeed many liberals on campus were livid about the choice of a man they saw as reinforcing the unjust distribution of wealth. "Seriously, Arnold Schwarzenegger as President? Pomona is doomed. Now there's no way that Pomona's endowment will ever be liquidated to provide the AIDS vaccine for all of Africa," said liberal activist and Pomona senior John Kimble.
Conservatives were more upbeat about the selection. Conservative activist C. Apollo Morgan of The Claremont Independent said, "Arnold Schwarzenegger will terminate all those dirty hippies on campus; maybe we can serve warburgers in the dining halls now."
Peter Stanley, Pomona's outgoing president, expressed surprise at the choice, but suggested there could be advantages to having the former star of Pumping Iron as the president of one of the nation's premier liberal arts colleges.
"I am sure that many more movies and television shows will now be filmed at Pomona," said Stanley, "I just wish he wouldn't call me a 'girly man'-I did preside over an $800 million expansion of the endowment."
