Reporting From Malibu

Every Pepperdine student knows the university aims to position students and alumni for lives of service, purpose and leadership. But recent graduates have taken their alma mater’s mission to heart, using their skills to organize philanthropic efforts abroad and turn a service-oriented lifestyle into their vocation and passion.

For Brooks Baumgartner, a 2011 alumnus from Portland, Ore., a spring break trip with Pepperdine’s Project Serve program alongside 12 classmates inspired him to move to Huehuetenango, Guatemala and serve others. There, Baumgartner has volunteered at an orphanage called Fundacion Salvacion (FS), home to whom he calls “90 of the most beautiful children in the whole world,” for the past nine months.

Three months ago, while working with the Guatemalan children, Baumgartner discovered his dream to build a bilingual school for the orphans. That goal is the impetus of his nonprofit organization More Than Compassion (MTC).

“MTC has been created with two purposes in mind: provide for the daily needs of the kids at FS (by providing funds to pay for things like food, water, and shelter) and also to prepare them to succeed in life beyond the orphanage walls (by building a bilingual elementary school, which will provide kids with a quality education and the ability to speak English),” according to the organization’s newsletter.

According to the newsletter, MTC is preparing to make its first payment on the land where the school will be built on April 10. So far, the organization has hired eight American interns to teach English classes, and they plan to hire an additional four Guatemalan teachers to instruct Spanish classes. Construction of the facility will begin in May, with the school projected to open its doors to students by January 2013 — the start of the Guatemalan school year.

MTC plans to debut a 12-minute video on Youtube about the stories of the children who live at FS. (Watch MTC’s “This is Our Story” campaign video)

In conjunction with the video’s release, MTC will be selling t-shirts featuring their campaign slogan (“This is our story, but it’s not over”) for $25 including shipping. All proceeds will go to directly toward building the bilingual school, according to MTC’s newsletter.

“When I donate to something, I never buy a shirt but just give money. BUT I plan on buying one of these [shirts],” senior SGA President Mimi Rothfus wrote on Facebook. “I have been able to visit Huehuetenango, Guatemala twice, and what my friend Brooks is doing down there is amazing.”

In addition to purchasing t-shirts, MTC also encourages child sponsorship for $30 per month (a program administered via morethancompasion.org and donating money to the school’s construction. Recently, Baumgartner’s cousin and her husband offered to match all donations up to $25,000.

The eclectic locale of families, settled retirees and surfers young and old that calls Malibu home is finally united behind a single cause: its ocean view.

Though the Malibu City Council voted 3-2 in favor of a view preservation ordinance at its public meeting on Monday, Feb. 13, the council will not decide on the contentious restoration ordinance for up to six months. The supported ordinance dictates that residents are entitled to retain the views they currently have. The proposed restoration ordinance, which would potentially authorize property owners to restore views obstructed by neighboring landscape, is pending community discussion and legal considerations by the council.
Effective immediately after the view ordinance’s passage, residents may pay a $260 fee for the planning committee to physically survey their property and take photos of the primary views. The photos will establish the homeowner’s rights to a view. Should neighboring landscape/foliage obstruct the view in the photos, the property owner may ask the city to intervene or engage in forced mediation and arbitration with the offending party.

The controversial view restoration ordinance, which will engage city council discussion in the weeks and months to come, is not a new issue on the minds of Malibu residents. According to the Malibu Times, 60 percent of locals voted in 2008 in favor of an advisory measure that asked if the city council should adopt an ordinance requiring the removal or trimming of foliage “in order to restore and maintain primary views from private homes.”

Since this vote initialized view ordinance discussions, the city council organized 31 public meetings and six city council meetings on the topic.

Mayor Laura Rosenthal and Councilmember Jefferson Wagner used the 2008 vote as their justification in support of a view restoration ordinance, while Councilmember and Mayor Pro Tem Lou La Monte and Councilmember Pamela Conley Ulich had their doubts. Considering granting restoration rights as far back as 1991 could result in lawsuits against the city, according to La Monte and Conley Ulich.

Fellow Council member John Sibert shared this concern, and expressed his uncertainty in the Feb. 13 discussion.

“I don’t know whether the [legal] risk to the city is $600,000 or $6 million,” Sibert said at the Feb. 13 council meeting.

Property value is one of the key issues playing a role in the view ordinance debate. Homeowners and real estate professionals believe the loss of an ocean view risks severe slashes in a property’s ticket price.

Jennine Kidd, vice president of Secure One Properties, has served the Malibu and surrounding community for more than 25 years as a property manager. According to Kidd, a backyard that no longer has an ocean view can cause property value to plummet anywhere from $200,000 to $1 million.

“It’s like having a room that’s on the [Las Vegas] strip versus a room that overlooks the dumpsters,” Kidd said. “It takes away from profitability, leasability, marketability and general appeal. I definitely think that Malibu should not allow people to obstruct the views of their neighbors.”

The City of Carmel, a small beach community in Monterey County similar to Malibu, recently underwent a similar initiative, according to Kidd. The city council determined that neighboring homes could not obstruct the view of surrounding properties.

“People move to Malibu for the views — that’s the main attraction,” Kidd said. “If neighbors build a fortress around the house, it’s going to cause problems.”

Kidd has faced those “problems” first hand, when a property she managed in neighboring West Hills had its impressive city and canyon view obstructed by landscape. When the homes were purchased brand new, the landscaping was not mature. But after 10 to 12 years, residents started losing their views and landscaping restrictions became a hot button issue in the community. Kidd said she was able to work out an agreement between the neighbors without enlisting a professional mediator, which the Malibu City Council listed as protocol in future incidents.

“When people are purchasing a home, they’re paying for that ocean view,” Kidd said. “They’ve paid for that. When someone takes it away, it’s the responsibility [of the city] to respect that and not allow [obstruction].”

However, Kidd said she believes it should be a community standard to preserve a property’s view at the time of purchase. The ordinance should state that trees cannot exceed a certain height, according to Kidd, but specifics depend on the property since “every lot is a little bit different.”

“It is time to [have an ordinance],” Kidd added. “[An ocean view] is the lifestyle of Malibu. It’s the same in any upscale community… People move there for the ocean.”

Not all Malibu residents share Kidd’s views. Despite the resounding support for the ordinance at the Feb. 13 city council meeting, several residents spoke out against the ordinance — fearing that the conflict may hurt the Malibu community as similar ordinances have affected other beach cities.

“This city of ours will forever change by the passing of this ordinance,” resident Judy Decker said at the meeting. “We have all lived in peace, please find a way of keeping it that way with not passing this ordinance.”

In 2000, the community of Rancho Palos Verdes experienced strain and conflict when city officials began to enforce the View Restoration and Preservation Ordinance, originally passed in 1989. Though passed into law decades earlier, the ordinance faced numerous legal appeals.

Rancho Palos Verdes residents whose trees were cut down argued that homeowners should not have the right to the atmosphere surrounding their house, and that trees also have a right to life.

Laguna Beach shares the atmosphere of Rancho Palos Verdes and Malibu, but unlike those beach communities the view ordinance it passed in 1997 is non-binding. Due to questions of its constitutionality, the city of Laguna Beach’s law recommends, but cannot require, neighbors to abide by view restoration.

While beach cities across Southern California struggle to define their policies on view restoration, Malibu has already made a significant step in approving the view preservation ordinance. In California, homeowners do not own the airspace around their property unless a local law specifically grants it in writing. Depending on the council’s upcoming view restoration decision, this legislation may be a step in that direction for Malibu.

Most college students, regardless of having varied majors, interests and post-graduate goals, await the same legacy after completing their undergrad: debt. While for some “financial aid” means thousands of dollars in loans, some savvy students seek employment or merit-based scholarship within Pepperdine’s academic departments to offset the cost of attendance.

This fall, several students learned that the “cost of attendance,” according to Pepperdine’s Office of Financial Assistance, did not include housing or living costs. The office notified scholarship recipients whose awards exceeded tuition prices that they could not accept all or part of their scholarships.

For years, students and departments have struggled to comply with this policy set by Financial Assistance which dictates that, in general, institutional scholarships and grants — when combined with applicable federal or state grants — may not exceed the cost of tuition.

Financial Assistance held a meeting earlier this month, in which scholarship-awarding divisions such as Communication and Fine Arts weighed in on the process of awarding scholarships and financial aid. Director of Financial Assistance Janet Lockhart announced that the policy has changed for the upcoming school year to allow departments to award scholarships that can count toward housing, books and other costs. Lockhart reserved, however, that the office will still determine eligibility based on each student’s FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), which calculates financial need.

“It has been approved to allow departmental scholarships to cover other educational related expenses above tuition, for those that qualify, but not to exceed the cost of attendance,” Lockhart wrote in an email. “We are very excited about the change and want students to receive the maximum scholarship aid they qualify for, therefore this is a definite move in the right direction to help students achieve their educational goals at Pepperdine.”

According to Lockhart, the policy has been in question for several years, but Enrollment Management decided now was the best time to change it. Lockhart, Dean of Admission and Enrollment Management Michael Truschke and the financial aid staff participated in crafting the new policy, which Truschke ultimately officially approved.

Lockhart said now is the right time to change the policy.

But not all of her colleagues share that sentiment.

Esther O’Connor, Communication Division office manager who oversees scholarships, said that Financial Assistance has been vague about explaining financial aid policies and why students cannot apply department-awarded merit scholarships to housing costs. O’Connor has worked at Pepperdine for 25 years, 22 of which she has spent at the Communication Division. For 22 years, the rules and the reasons behind them have been unclear.

When some students received notification in September 2011 that their financial assistance was “revised,” in other words decreased, due to the addition of a merit scholarship awarded by a department, O’Connor was disappointed that students could not use the additional money to cover other costs, like books.

“My question has always been, ‘Can it go to room and board?’” O’Connor said, adding that not knowing the whole policy has been frustrating, as a member of a division staff.

Lockhart said Financial Assistance does not track data regarding how many students are affected by the current policy change.

Although the change appears to be out of the blue for Pepperdine, Lockhart said that change in federal and state policies happen all the time.

“We are highly regulated by federal and state policies which require our careful monitoring of aid,” Lockhart wrote. “The last Reauthorization (changes and updates to federal policies) contained over a thousand pages of updates, just to give you an idea.”

Lockhart explained that the policy being enforced currently exists due to a limited budget.

“We have a limited amount of resources, therefore we have to budget and live within our means,” Lockhart wrote. “We determined that the majority of our aid recipients are able to receive all the grants and scholarship awards that are offered while staying within the stated policies.”

To the contrary, the Communication Division holds that every year has posed a struggle between the division and Financial Assistance as students awarded scholarships for their merit are limited to how much of the award they are allowed to accept. Meanwhile, Financial Assistance supports the policy they had formerly upheld under the principle that funds are limited and should be distributed among students as equitably as possible.

According to Trushke, the rule of institutional grants and scholarships capping at the cost of tuition is not a “policy,” but rather a “guideline” applied on a case-to-case basis depending on an individual student’s financial “need” determined by a FAFSA application.

Typically, state and federal grants are applied to tuition first. Institutional scholarships and grants can go toward the remainder of the tuition left over after government aid. Formerly, loans and outside scholarships were the only assistance for room and board available to Pepperdine students.

A few rare exceptions to the institutional aid cap are athletes with full grant agreements that cover all expenses, some lab fees (which can range from $300 to $600 per year) and international program fees, according to Lockhart.

Lockhart’s advice for students affected by the policy mid-year is that the office will continue to enforce the current policy this semester.

“We don’t make policy changes mid-year,” Lockhart wrote.

Truschke asserted that his staff does much of their work behind the scenes where their efforts are unknown to students.

“There are scores of students who have been in dire financial circumstances, and would have had to withdraw from Pepperdine if it had not been for the extra efforts of their financial aid adviser,” Truschke wrote in an email. “The financial assistance staff is very much in touch with the realities and challenges of helping our students fund their education.”

Students who are interested in discussing their financial aid can schedule appointments or walk in to meet with the next available adviser during the office’s appointment hours between 10 a.m. and noon and 1:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, according to Lockhart. “If students need assistance outside of these time frames every effort is made to assist,” Lockhart wrote.

Leaders of Reach OUT, an unofficial organization supporting LGBT students, are preparing to apply for recognition in the Inter-Club Council (ICC). Meanwhile the Office of Student Affairs has made efforts to address Pepperdine’s LGBT community — including meeting with Reach OUT. But what makes this club different from the others to apply for club membership in the past?

According to Mark Davis, Dean of Student Affairs, the University must respect the values it has historically held, including the affirmation that sexual relationships are reserved for man and wife. The issue with “official recognition” in the University’s eyes, said Davis, is that it implies endorsement. Davis argued that Reach Out is recognized at Pepperdine, but not endorsed. Although the group is allowed to meet on campus, without ICC membership Reach OUT cannot hold events on campus unless another student groups sponsors it.

“We want to create an environment where everyone can express their opinion,” Davis said.

Davis said he admires that non-gay Pepperdine students have the ability to say, “I’m not sure if I agree with what you’re doing, but you’re my friend. I love you.”

The Building Bridges Committee is composed of about 20 members including Chaplain Dave Lemley, Director of Convocation Sarah Jaggard, Housing and Residence Life, University Church ministers, students from the School of Law, SGA President Mimi Rothfus and Executive Vice President Nico Gutierrez, and LGBT students and their supporters. The committee meets once weekly to discuss how to improve the campus environment for LGBT students. One of its initiatives includes clarifying University policies in next school year’s Student Handbook regarding interpersonal relationships, specifically the sexual relationship clause. Davis said this may include a Frequently Asked Questions section in addition to establishing a “biased incident report protocol.”

Graphic: What is the official stance, if any, of Student Affairs/the University on a gay-straight alliance such as Reach OUT on campus?

Davis: As a private, Christian university, Pepperdine has taken the approach that official recognition is only given to student organizations that clearly support the Christian mission and the policies contained in the Student Handbook. For example, while we welcome students to attend Pepperdine from all backgrounds, most people understand why we don’t officially recognize a student organization that has a goal — stated or unstated — to endorse atheism. Our affirmation statement declares that “God Is,” and so we promote this position. Pepperdine also affirms that sexual relationships were designed by God to be expressed solely within a marriage between husband and wife, and so we endorse this traditional sexual ethic.

G: What are some of the challenges of officially recognizing a group like Reach OUT at Pepperdine?

D: The challenge with recognizing an LGBT student organization is definition. Sexual orientation is complex, multidimensional concept that includes interrelated dimensions such as attraction, behavior and identity. So one of the challenges with officially recognizing a student organization related to sexual orientation is knowing what the University is recognizing or what the group is promoting.

A related challenge is that official recognition implies endorsement of a position, and it includes University funding. Regardless of the student organization name or purpose statement, giving official recognition to an LGBT group will signal to some that Pepperdine no longer affirms the traditional sexual ethic and is using its resources to support a position inconsistent with our Christian heritage.

At the same time, I’m concerned that not officially recognizing a LGBT student group could leave the impression that we don’t care about our LGBT students. While there is disagreement on the complex moral issue, we need to make it clear that disagreement is no excuse for the poor treatment of any member of our community.

Pepperdine respects everyone’s right to form his or her opinion and recognizes that there are members of our community who do not agree with the traditional sexual ethic. Regardless of one’s viewpoint, Pepperdine affirms the dignity and worth of every person and seeks to create a campus culture where each person is treated with love and respect.

The topic of homosexuality is emotionally charged because it touches our lives in so many ways, including our relationships with friends and family and our cherished religious beliefs. I am saddened by the hateful language, the judgmental comments, and the overall lack of respect that is shown to people on all sides of this debate. While the debate should be “over” on the individual worth and dignity of every human being, we need more thoughtful dialogue on God’s design for sexual relationships how people decide what’s right and wrong, and the role of the Bible in making these decisions.

We also need to be able to disagree on religious teachings without condemning the other person to hell or labeling someone a bigot just because we don’t share the same viewpoint. In this time of heightened sensitivities, we need people who can express their convictions with civility. In Richard Mouw’s book, “Uncommon Decency: Christian Civility in an Uncivil World,” Dr. Mouw reminds us that “convicted civility” is the key for survival in this pluralistic age.

I am looking forward to the exciting dialogues we have planned over the course of this year through the “Building Bridges” group that includes the leaders of Reach OUT as well as other students, faculty and staff. Our goal is to help us come to a greater understanding and appreciation for each other’s beliefs and common humanity. The group will be making recommendations on additional educational programs, support/discussion groups, and changes to our harassment policy to make it clearer that Pepperdine will not tolerate the harassment of any of our community members, including students who identify as LGBT. We will also work together to review a new set of FAQs based on common questions raised last year from our dialogue with LGBT students. Ultimately, our work will be incorporated into the Student Handbook.

G: Who is ultimately responsible for making the final decision?

D: Whenever Student Activities has any questions about a student organization application, it is forwarded through the supervisory chain for review. Issues that impact the identity of the school and relationships with constituents are ultimately reviewed by the senior administration.

G: How does the University address criticism from WASC as well as national publications in relation to Pepperdine not recognizing a gay straight alliance on campus?

D: WASC has a long history of respecting the uniqueness of each school’s mission and heritage. In its recent site visit report, after noting that some in our community feel unease in speaking about sexual orientation, WASC recommended: “The University should continue its good work in diversity, support it spiritually and financially, and recognize openly the importance of campus climate and the quality of the educational experience to all students.” We fully agree with this statement and are dedicated to maintaining a Christian learning community where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.

When the Communication Division posted scholarships to the accounts of their top-achieving students involved in media production, they never imagined any policy could prevent the students from receiving the funds they wished to award. This fall, that is exactly what happened.

Students awarded scholarships by academic divisions such as Communication and Fine Arts received emails from the Office of Financial Assistance detailing their “revised” financial aid packages after the addition or increase of their scholarships.

Although many had taken out loans this semester, Financial Assistance notified each student whose aid exceeded tuition that his or her other institutional aid (which might be Pepperdine Grant, Seaver Grant and other various academic or merit scholarships) had been reduced so that “institutional grants and scholarships do not exceed [the] tuition charge of $20,250 for the fall 2011 semester.”

According to Dean of Admission and Enrollment Management Michael Truschke, the rule of institutional grants and scholarships capping at the cost of tuition is not a “policy,” but rather a “guideline” applied on a case-to-case basis depending on an individual student’s financial “need” determined by a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application.

“The guideline was put in place for fairness and equity,” said Director of Financial Assistance Janet Lockhart. “We don’t have an unlimited amount of funds.”

However, Lockhart admitted that while state and federal grants are legally limited to use for tuition, applying institutional aid from within the University only to tuition is an internal decision.

Typically, state and federal grants are applied to tuition first. Institutional scholarships and grants can go toward the remainder of the tuition left over after government aid. Finally, loans and outside scholarships can assist with the cost of room and board.

A few rare exceptions to the institutional aid cap are athletes with full grant agreements that cover all expenses, some lab fees (which can range from $300 to $600 per year) and international program fees, according to Lockhart.

Esther O’Connor, Communication Division office manager who oversees scholarships, said that notification of financial aid “guidelines” and explanation of why students cannot apply department-awarded merit scholarships to housing fees has been vague. O’Connor has worked at Pepperdine for 25 years, 22 of which she has spent at the Communication Division. For 22 years, the rules and the reasons behind them have remained unclear.

“My question has always been, ‘Can it go to room and board?’” O’Connor said, adding that not knowing the whole policy has been frustrating, as a member of a division staff.

“It seemed unfair,” Communication Division Chair Ken Waters said, noting that while the division does not know the various federal, state and Pepperdine policies related to financial aid, it is frustrating to know funds that could potentially decrease student loan debt are available and, due to an unclear policy, cannot be awarded.

On Sept. 12, 13 and 14, the Graphic attempted to reach the Office of Financial Assistance for comment on treatment of departmental scholarships, expressing the dissatisfaction of students and division staff responsible for awarding departmental scholarships. More than a week later, on Sept. 21, the Graphic met with Lockhart to discuss the situation.

During the meeting, the Graphic mentioned inconsistencies uncovered while researching the matter. For example, the Communication Division struggles every year with talented students not being able to accept scholarships awarded to them for their merit. Meanwhile, Financial Assistance follows a policy in place under the principle that funds are limited and should be distributed among students as equitably as possible.

Lockhart expressed the willingness of the Office of Financial Assistance and the University to reconsider treatment of departmental merit scholarships.

“It is worth the effort to revisit our current policies about departmental scholarships only being toward tuition,” Lockhart said, considering the effects of loan debt on students. “We’re open to making things better for our students.”

Although it “won’t happen over night,” Lockhart said the Office of Financial Assistance would look into altering the policy for the upcoming academic year. According to Lockhart, the first steps toward revising the guideline include “a combination of discussing with Mike [Truschke], talking to divisions and any other areas that this may impact.

“It’s definitely time,” Lockhart said, noting that 25 years ago the cost of tuition was not $40,500.

“We don’t want policies in place that prevent us from helping students,” Lockhart said.

Lockhart also discussed how the misunderstanding of financial aid policies by students, faculty and staff can bring a negative impact on the office.

“We’re doing everything we can to help assist,” she said, “[even if] it doesn’t always seem that way.”

Dozens of students are employed by the Communication Division, receiving scholarships in return for their work in student groups like the debate team, the Graphic, Currents Magazine, KWVS Radio and NewsWaves. For many, the departmental scholarship policy resulted in working long hours with no compensation.

“I probably went into the financial aid office four or five times to meet with financial aid advisers to find some loophole to get the scholarship that I was actively earning working 30 hours a week in the [Currents Magazine] newsroom,” said senior Heather Manes, who was editor in chief of Currents last spring. “My financial aid adviser actively tried to find a way to get me my scholarship.

“Basically, in the end, they told me my financial aid was maxed out, even though I was taking out thousands in loans,” Manes said. “It was super disappointing because you’re told, ‘Work hard, and everything will work out.’ I took scholarship positions figuring it would help pay for school and help my mom financially. Instead, I basically worked for free while everyone around me was getting paid to be there.”

Lockhart encourages students and divisions to bring concerns to the Office’s attention, since helping students is its priority — even if it means reevaluating the validity of past policies.

“Sometimes that’s all it takes,” Lockhart said.

At least nine people died and 212 were injured in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, Sept 13., when two trains and a bus collided.

According to authorities, it took hours to free victims from the wreck.

“There are people in the hospital now in a very grave state, including children. They have severe injuries,” Fernando Sostre, spokesman for the Argentine Federal Police, told CNN.

The cause of the collision is still under investigation by Argentine authorities.

No Pepperdine students were harmed in the incident.

As students return for the fall semester, they may find that more has changed than their class schedules. Beginning in July, the University has announced major changes in administration personnel, particularly in the Office of the Provost.

University Public Relations announced July 18 that Timothy Chester, vice provost for academic administration and chief information officer (CIO), accepted an position as CIO for the University of Georgia, effective Sept. 15. Jonathan See will serve as interim CIO as interviews for Chester’s permanent replacement are underway.

Meanwhile, the University is also working to fill the position of director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, made vacant by Dr. Chris Collins, who is now a professor at the University of Hawaii. Provost Darryl Tippens said the new director of that office should be announced in a matter of days.

“We have very talented people, both internally and externally, who are applying for the open positions,” Tippens wrote in an email.

Frank R. Seaver Chair of Biology and former Associate Provost for Research Lee Kats was named vice provost for research and strategic initiatives, effective Aug. 1.

The need for the position arose from the growing responsibilities of the Provost’s Office, new commitments from the new Strategic Plan (which was approved last June by the Board of Regents) and President Andrew K. Benton’s desire to increase the prominence of the athletic programs, according to Tippens. (Anyone may access the University’s strategic plan online at www.pepperdine.edu/strategic-plan.)

Athletic Director Steve Potts looks forward to working with Kats on the latter goal, believing Kats is the perfect individual for the job due to his understanding of student athletes, having volunteered with the men’s volleyball team for years.

“I view it as a way for Athletics to connect with the academic program,” Potts said.

“Dr. Kats, who has been serving as the associate provost for research, was an obvious choice to take on these additional assignments,” Tippens wrote.

In addition to his regular duties, Kats will temporarily oversee several areas previously covered by Chester.

“Because these changes have occurred rather rapidly, we are taking our time to settle the precise, permanent job descriptions for each of these positions [vice provost for research and institutional initiatives, vice provost of academic administration and director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness], as all three are closely related,” Tippens wrote.

Jonathan See, deputy CIO officer and interim CIO since Chester’s departure, believes Chester left him and the Information Technology (IT) division well equipped in his absence.

“For the past 18 months and in order to focus on more important academic matters, he has empowered me (and subsequently Michael Lucas who joined us last December) to run the day-to-day operations of IT,” See wrote in an email. “Hence, because of this arrangement, the transition to my new assignment has been quite smooth.”

Although See indicated that he may be a potential candidate for Chester’s permanent replacement, he said he is focusing on IT’s work, which includes over 40 projects for fiscal year 2012.

This summer, See oversaw several IT projects, including upgrading and improving the number of wireless access points in the Seaver dorms, in order to improve Wi-Fi coverage for better student experience, according to See.

IT also expanded the Internet bandwidth out from the Malibu campus by almost seven times from 45 megabits to 300 megabits.

“Think of this expansion like moving from a typical garden hose to a fire hose,” See wrote. “Nowadays, students are coming to campus with multiple wireless devices in their hands (smartphones, tablets and laptops); the bandwidth expansion is necessary so as to improve the Internet experience.”

See said the IT division has a great momentum, and Chester deserves much of the credit for that.

“Because Dr. Chester supervises several vital areas, including IT, planning, assessment, and the Office of Institutional Effectiveness — and because he has been the chief overseer of our preparation for the next regional WASC) accreditation visit, naturally we were disappointed to lose a man of such breadth, energy, and talent. But the good news is that Dr. Chester built a great organization,” Tippens wrote.

Chester said he looks forward to observing, from afar, Pepperdine’s WASC reaffirmation process.

“The deepest satisfaction I have experienced professionally in my career has been the relationships developed with Dr. Chris Collins and Dr. Joy Asamen as we worked to complete the CPR phase of Pepperdine’s WASC reaffirmation,” Chester wrote in an email. “The one regret that I have is that I will not be on the front lines with Dr. Collins and Dr. Asamen as this important work is completed.”

According to Chester, it was terribly difficult to contemplate leaving, but he and his wife Gail could not pass up the opportunity to return “back to the South to a large, research-oriented flagship institution,” similar to Texas A&M where Chester spent most of his early career.

Chester said he and his wife always knew they would return to the South, and his offer at Georgia would locate the couple less than a day’s drive from their surviving parents.

In a post on his blog (www.accidentalcio.com) dated July 18, Chester discusses how he was approached by the University of Georgia earlier this year, and after a series of conversations over the past three months, he received an invitation to become their CIO. His decision to accept involved matters personal and professional.

“I sat with the provost and president of UGA and told them both that if I left Pepperdine, I would be leaving the best group of direct reports, and indeed, one of the best IT organizations, that I have ever been associated with, and that it would be very difficult to contemplate leaving,” reads an excerpt from Chester’s blog entry.

Having worked closely with Benton in his time at Pepperdine, Chester attended the president’s senior leadership meeting every Friday and weighed in on critical issues facing the University.

“My advice to [Benton] remains this, that the times we find ourselves in are distinctly unique and I do not believe that higher education can go back to the old ways of doing business that were typical prior to the financial crisis of 2008,” Chester wrote. “My best advice to the leadership of this great institution is to confront these challenges boldly.”

Students, faculty, staff and friends of Sarah Brady gathered Monday, Aug. 29, at Stauffer Chapel at 8:30 a.m. for a special prayer service in honor of the Seaver student’s tragic passing Friday evening.

Twenty-year-old Brady was en route to Pepperdine from her hometown of Littleton, Colo., on Friday, Aug. 26, when an unfortunate car crash claimed her life. Read the full story.

Chaplain Dave Lemley opened the service by asking the congregation to hold Sarah’s family in their prayers. Lemley said the accident is an opportunity to begin the year by putting trust in God. According to the chaplain’s opening words, Brady had just completed summer classes at Pepperdine, looked forward to the fall semester and was at peace with life before the accident, which he believes comforts those disturbed by the news of her passing.

After Lemley’s opening remarks, Campus Minister Linda Truschke, Brady’s Great Books Colloquium professor Ronald Cox and senior Jordan Kahler, who would have been Brady’s resident advisor at the Drescher dorms each read comforting Bible passages. After each passage, Lemley allowed a moment of prayer.

“Not having known Sarah, we all still grieve knowing that someone who could have been such a light for us in this community was taken away so suddenly,” Kahler said. “Our hearts, our thoughts, our prayers are with her family and friends.”

Truschke encourages students to seek out each other and others who can provide comfort at this time, and remember that God will not abandon them.

“Words fall short sometimes of what people need,” Truschke said.

Pepperdine grieves the tragic car crash that claimed the life of Seaver student Sarah Brady Aug.26, during her return to campus for her junior year. The 20-year-old is a native of Littleton, Colo.

The Associated Press reports the student was driving west on Interstate 70, 10 miles east of Salina, Utah, just after 6 p.m. Friday when she lost control of her car.

She apparently swerved into the left-hand emergency lane while passing another vehicle, over-corrected and hit the other car, sending both vehicles off the road and into several rocks, according to Trooper Dan Altenes of the Utah Highway Patrol.

Brady is believed to have been killed instantly, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

The University asks the community to remember the student’s friends and parents, Carey and Mary Jane Brady, during their time of grief.

Throughout the day, students have acknowledged Brady by posting statuses on Facebook.

Junior Kristen Nassif’s status reads, “Sarah Brady, I loved you so much and I know you are in a better place now. You were such an amazing friend and such an amazing young woman. I will continue to think of you always and I hope you are surrounded by diamond point shoes where you are my love! I will miss you always and forever. Rest in peace.”

A prayer service will be held Monday morning at 8:30 a.m. in Stauffer Chapel.

The Dean of Students Office is accepting cards, notes and letters to forward to Brady’s family: Tyler Campus Center Suite 210, Mail Code 4472.

GQ thinks we’re kind of a big deal. And who are we to disagree?

Since Pepperdine surfaced as No. 5 on GQ’s tongue-in-cheek “The 10 Douchiest Colleges in America: 2011 Edition” July 20, the link has gone viral within the “Peppervine” as students share their thoughts on the high-brow critique via Facebook and Twitter.

Between the Huffington Post’s rating as one of the “trendiest” colleges in the nation last month, Pepperdine appears to be on the radar of popular media this summer.

“I’m surprised Pepperdine, out of all colleges in this nation, was chosen for the list and made number five,” junior Scott Cowie said. “To be on the list shows that we’re known and we’re kind of a big deal.

“Since we all walk around thinking ‘We’re kind of a big deal,’ the article just boosts Pepperdine’s ‘douchiness’ rather than ‘puts us in check.’”

Senior Christina Alcaraz shared Cowie’s sentiment.

“I think it’s great that we were included,” she said. “It just means we are a known and envied school.”

The article classifies Pepperdine as the home of the “Heidi Montag Bible fellowship douche,” asking “Are you a Christian but also really want a Mercedes SLK in Caspian blue and to be on whatever the next ‘Hills’ is called?”

It continues, listing a typical student’s life goals: “Stay celibate until marriage; buy a townhouse in Newport Beach; convert all gays; meet someone with the ‘three Hs: hot, humble, and holy.’”

But are students offended? Not according to Cowie, who goes far enough to say we’re flattered.

“They describe us pretty well and I think, if anything, we all, deep down, appreciate the description,” Cowie said.

“From what I’ve heard and seen, our student body has had a more ‘Thank you, it’s about time someone gave us our due credit’ attitude. We’re Waves … and we’re proud of it.”

Alcaraz raised a point that the article was intended for comedy.

“The things they said about every university were generalizations and stereotypes but it was in the humor section, which means it was meant to be taken as a joke.”

However, Cowie does have a bone to pick with GQ about their assertion that Pepperdine students aspire to “convert all gays.”

“I think it’s good to set the record straight that a growing majority of Waves are accepting of the gay community and the atmosphere is changing and turning away from the ‘convert them all’ stance that the article portrays,” Cowie said.

Read the full article at: http://www.gq.com/entertainment/humor/201108/douchiest-colleges-america-2011#ixzz1SsIz3lbm

Since University Church of Christ’s (UCC) unexpected announcement earlier this week that Thomas Fitzpatrick will return to his position as campus minister, Fitzpatrick and Senior Pastor and church Elder Rich Little shed light on the story behind what led Fitzpatrick asking for the opportunity to fill the space he left last semester.

The Campus Minister Search Committee was nearing its final stages of hiring a new campus minister, narrowing final interviews down to two candidates, when Fitzpatrick expressed his interest in returning to campus ministries.

“We knew we would receive an entirely new vision and philosophy with a new candidate, however there was never a feeling that Thomas’ vision and philosophy was incompatible with the church, and given his recent experiences, we knew he would bring additional strengths and insights he didn’t possess prior to his departure,” Little wrote in an e-mail.

Fitzpatrick explained what caused him to request the opportunity to return to his position at UCC, since leaving at the end of May to work as an associate preaching minister at a church called The Hills in Fort Worth, Texas.

“Things didn’t feel right from the first moment I got here [Fort Worth],” Fitzpatrick wrote in an e-mail. “Nothing has ever been wrong, in fact quite the opposite, we love the church here and the people love my preaching, but my heart and passion are not here —they are at Pepperdine.”

While he and his family started to integrate with their new home and his new job, Fitzpatrick said he continually thought about UCC’s new house groups, the new intern team, the new students and several guys he was discipling. He said he believes it was a clear sign of his call to minister at Pepperdine.

“It’s not fair to the people here for me to only give them part of myself, and not all of it,” Fitzpatrick wrote.

Little said the committee was initially surprised and intrigued by Fitzpatrick’s interest in returning.

“We were interested in how this unique and highly unusual circumstance might meet the expectations of the committee and provide a unique opportunity for someone familiar with our church to use this season as a learning experience that will further refine his ministry and calling,” Little wrote.

Little described the actions taken by the committee before making their unanimous vote.

“The moments leading up to consensus were extremely positive and constructive,” Little wrote. “Multiple phone conversations, email exchanges, a Skype meeting and a conference call with the eldership provided everyone with a sense of Thomas’ journey and decision making process.”

The elders and the committee asked important questions, and were pleased with the answers they heard, according to Little.

Fitzpatrick said it was a blessing to hear the committee wanted him back.

“It humbles and honors me to know they voted unanimously for it,” Fitzpatrick wrote. “That’s what grace is — an undeserved second chance.”

Rich believes the community will react positively to Fitzpatrick’s return.

“Thomas was loved by Pepperdine community and I expect people to be generally pleased by his return and ministry here,” Little wrote.

However, Fitzpatrick himself foresees some concern.

“I expect there will be a very mixed reaction to my return,” Fitzpatrick wrote. “Some will think that I am crazy and foolish, and they would be right. Some would say I made a lot of mistakes and they too would be right. But hopefully people will understand that walking by faith is scary and uncertain.”

All in all, Fitzpatrick describes the series of events as a learning experience.

“I am learning that God wants me to know and trust him,” Fitzpatrick wrote. “Not work for him, not speak on his behalf, not necessarily preach at a church or do campus ministry, but to truly know and trust him.

“As a Christian I want to know what his voice sounds like and what his face looks like, and although this is all incredibly stressful & embarrassing, I think I’m beginning to hear and see a little more clearly.”