University police continue investigation after multiple reported incidents
By Rachel Prior, September 29, 2026
Hateful graffiti targeting LGBTQ+ and Jewish communities continues to appear across Cal Poly Pomona. The University Police Department continues to investigate the incidents and staff members work to remove the imagery, while campus offices provide support for students.
The university first notified the campus community Sept. 17 in an email from the Office of the President after anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-transgender graffiti was found on stall doors in men’s bathrooms in the University Library and Building 5. One stall had the phrase “tranz rightz” crossed out, followed by the phrase “trans menal illness.” Another stall contained the phrase “f*** the weak.” The university said it was removing the imagery and investigating who was responsible.
CPP confirmed additional hateful imagery Sept. 18, including a swastika, and condemned the antisemitic image targeting the Jewish community.
By Sept. 21, the university said the graffiti continued to resurface despite Facilities Planning and Management staff covering and removing the images.
For Skad Arroyo, a transgender psychology student, the continued appearance of the graffiti has affected how often he comes to campus. Arroyo said he stopped attending a class on Tuesdays, when attendance was not mandatory, because he didn’t want to be on campus while the incidents continued.
“I entered university already knowing people may not like my presence because of how I identify, how I dress, how I look,” Arroyo said.
The continued appearance of graffiti led to conversations about how the university can respond beyond just removing it.
Arroyo said he felt the university had not done enough in response to the incidents. He read the university’s first email three times looking for additional actions or resources.
The Office of Community and Belonging held a Community Processing and Reflection Space Sept. 18, one day after the university’s first message. Jonathan Grady, interim senior associate vice president of community and belonging, said the space was intended to give the campus community an opportunity to process what had happened and share their experiences.
According to Grady, participants expressed hurt, pain and fear.
“We heard the continued need for education and dialogue,” Grady said.
Students also discussed ways to create spaces where the campus community could talk about their identities and lived experiences, expressing interest in additional processing events, Grady said.
The office held a second processing space Sept. 23 after community members asked for another opportunity to gather.
“Folks have reached out to us in a variety of ways,” Grady said. “We recognize some folks want to be in community with one another. Some folks may just want to process one on one. And then some folks may want to first process by themselves and then engage with others.”
The university said Sept. 21 it was committed to expanding educational resources and support in response to those conversations.
Joel Gutierrez, executive director of student retention initiatives and support for the OCB, said they are working with other campus offices, including organizations within The Centers for Transformation, Retention, Equity and Empowerment, offering training and workshops focused on navigating differences, cultural humility and allyship.
OCB plans to hold more processing spaces if needed or requested.
Zoe Koskenmaki, an environmental biology student whose brother is transgender, said she was “pretty appalled” when she saw the graffiti and concerned about how it could affect transgender students on campus.
Koskenmaki said the graffiti made her think about the experiences transgender students may have when using campus restrooms, particularly in spaces where they may already feel uncomfortable or judged. She said seeing anti-transgender messages in a restroom could make those students feel less welcome or safe on campus.
For Devon Pizano, a transgender psychology student, seeing the graffiti in person made an existing discomfort with using the bathroom worse.
Pizano said he realized Building 5, which he considers his “home base” as a psychology student, was one of the locations where graffiti had been found and saw it in the bathroom himself.
“It basically means that who I am makes someone upset,” Pizano said. “It makes me worry sometimes about whether I am safe to express myself as authentically as I do, because if someone were to have a problem with it, how far are they willing to go?”
While campus offices have focused on supporting the community, UPD continues to investigate the graffiti.
UPD Lt. Jose Plasencia said officers respond to each report by documenting the scene, interviewing witnesses and gathering available evidence.
Plasencia added reporting graffiti quickly is important because information and evidence can become harder to follow up on as time passes.
“We can’t do this job alone,” Plasencia said. “We really need our community to support us. We need people to be able to feel comfortable in reporting anything they may see that may be suspicious, so that way we can jump on it right away from inception.”
Plasencia said facilities must wait for UPD to document graffiti before removing or covering it, adding students who encounter new graffiti should call UPD at 909-869-3070 and avoid touching or moving anything around the area.
According to Dawnita Franklin, associate vice president, Title IX coordinator and administrator for discrimination, harassment and retaliation, the Office of Institutional of Equity and Compliance can contact people who report incidents to learn more about what happened and assess their safety and support needs while also discussing possible supportive measures.
“We’re always going to make sure that we attempt to connect with the person,” Franklin said. “Whether that’s through outreach, whether that’s through a referral to another department under Title IX, … we are obligated to respond and to make sure that we address all reports that come into our office.”
Franklin said the OEC tracks reports to identify patterns and areas where additional education or training may be needed. If someone responsible for an incident is identified and the conduct falls under the university’s nondiscrimination policy, OEC may become involved in the resolution process. Options can include a formal investigation, informal resolution or an educational conversation, depending on the circumstances, according to Franklin.
The university has also pointed to longer-term efforts to gather information from the campus community.
Franklin said OCB is preparing to launch the Bronco Experience Questionnaire Oct. 12. The anonymous questionnaire aims to have students, faculty and staff share their experiences, concerns and recommendations with the university.
The responses will be used by institutional working groups focused on health and wellness, community and belonging and sustainability to develop action plans, according to Franklin.
As of publication, UPD has not identified any suspects responsible for the graffiti and the investigation remains ongoing.
For Pizano, the university’s response needs to extend beyond investigating the graffiti.
“Show us that you are doing something outside of police presence,” Pizano said. “Show us how you are making us safer.”