FEATURED
‘Would you rather vote for someone qualified or someone who’s black?’
The newly elected president of Harvey Mudd College’s student government has been recalled because she made a comment one year ago that was deemed racist.
The president-elect at the elite, STEM-focused liberal arts college in Claremont, Calif., won her campaign in late February.
Shortly after the results were announced, however, a recall process was initiated, according to campus publication The Forum.
The recall campaign succeeded, it was announced last week, as a majority of voters chose to recall the president-elect and hold new elections, the Claremont Independent reported.
The two student newspapers do not name the president-elect.
The controversy centers on a comment she made during last year’s student government election: “Would you rather vote for someone qualified or someone who’s black?”
The question was asked hypothetically in conversation because one set of students up for election at the time had extensive experience in student government, while their competitors, who are black, did not.
“Specific details of the interaction at the core of the controversy vary,” the Claremont Independent reported. “However, a preponderance of sources the Independent spoke to agree that the president-elect, a student of East Asian descent, responded by asking, ‘Would you vote for a qualified person or a black person?’ The friend told the Independent that she responded to this question with, ‘A black person,’ because why would she ask me that?”
“The Independent verified that the president-elect subsequently apologized to the challenger and his running-mate for the hypothetical question she posed, both in-person and through email. The challenger and his running-mate lost the Spring 2025 election.”
The pair of students who lost last year’s election — and this year’s election — were the ones who brought forth the recall petition.
In a statement to The College Fix, the recalled president-elect confirmed she made the controversial comment in a private conversation. She said she takes accountability and understands the comment was “inappropriate and harmful in impact.”
She spoke to The Fix on the condition of anonymity to avoid being cyberbullied or doxxed.
She added she has “apologized numerous times,” including last year, when the issue first arose, and this year, when she was made aware that her comment was still being raised.
“I have never tried to justify prejudice; by taking accountability, I am trying to repair harm, take responsibility for my impact, and ensure that I show up more thoughtfully and equitably moving forward,” she told The Fix via email.
The president-elect provided The College Fix with a copy of a Feb. 16 email she sent to the two black student candidates she has referenced in her remarks.
“I wanted to start by apologizing for insensitive remarks that I made last semester, and for how it impacted you,” it stated. “I am sincerely sorry my words made either of you feel invalidated or disenfranchised in any way. If one or both of you would like to, I am happy to set up a time to talk through this matter and future steps.”
She also expressed support for the recall process.
“I want to emphasize that I have no problem with the recall,” she said. “Accountability should be a core tenet of any community, and I support processes that encourage reflection, growth, and repair.”
Prior to the recall vote, a forum was held March 10 during which the former president-elect and her challenger were allowed to give statements.
Harvey Mudd’s Black Lives Matter Student Association told The College Fix that the forum was “tightly controlled by administration, did not allow questions, and was limited by space, with only about 100 students able to attend despite the decision affecting the entire student body.”
“For something as significant as a recall, there should be broader access, open dialogue, and a structure that allows students to actively participate rather than passively receive information,” the group stated via email.
A student at the neighboring Claremont McKenna College told The College Fix “there was no time given for questions or comments, so students left immediately after it ended.”
This is not the first time the recall petitioner and failed student government candidate has lodged racism complaints, a source told The College Fix.
Last fall, he allegedly filed a complaint over racism concerns within the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps men’s swim and dive team, of which he is a member, the source told The Fix.
This resulted in the team’s temporary suspension in November 2025. He did not respond to a request from The College Fix seeking comment.
Harvey Mudd College did not respond to The College Fix’s requests for comment.
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