The Biggest Takeaways from the President’s Address:
- Credit/no credit classes are being discussed in administration. A decision will be coming out soon.
- Graduation, summer programs, and international programs are still up in the air.
- 193 students remain on campus.
- The university remains financially safe, however, they are taking a loss. “We need to ensure that we are acting responsibility,” Gash says. “Our goal is to do this without any reductions in personnel.”
LIVE UPDATES:
10:24 AM: The meeting is closing in prayer. And that concludes the Graphic’s coverage of the president’s Zoom town hall.
10:19 AM: Pepperdine has back-up plans for electrical outages; they are always in close communication with power providers
10:11 AM: A question about the financial stability of the university. The university is safe, however, they are taking a loss. “We need to ensure that we are acting responsibility,” Gash says. “Our goal is to do this without any reductions in personnel.”
10:09 AM: E-sports continues to compete. A student recommends a way to watch competitions, to keep community moral. Highlights are posted right now, but they will be posting streaming in days to come.
10:07 AM: Students ask for proper protocol for reporting coronavirus cases. Phil Phillips says at this point the university is asking students to call the student health center if faculty/staff/students have tested positive for the coronavirus, so that people in close contact may be notified.
10:05 AM: Questions about the EOC. Gash reiterates that the EOC meets twice a day. Phil Phillips says to date, 25 emails have gone out from the EOC or the president’s office. “Everything that the EOC decides are updated on our coronavirus webpage,” Phillips says.
10:02 AM: Mails services remains operational. You can forward your mail on WaveNet. USPS says there is no concern of transmitting the disease via the mail system.
10:00 AM: Q & A begins. Students have been asking about summer school. “We will have summer school for sure,” Marrs says. What it will look like remains unsure.
9:58 AM: 3 London students have been diagnosed with the virus. One Seaver student tested positive “on ground” in Malibu, and students in their classes have been updated about the diagnoses.
9:57 AM: A lot of decisions are still up in the air: graduation, summer programs, summer international programs, etc. Updates for summer classes should be coming in a week to 10 days. Updates on credit/no credit classes are coming soon.
9:56 AM: Gash says Caruso law school rose to 47, up 25 spots over last 3 years — highest ranking ever. The Graziado Business school’s executive MBA program rose to 27.
9:53 AM: Some big updates from Marrs:
- There are 2,672 classes being held online currently, including 130 I.P. classes and 223 graduate classes.
- Faculty is being engaged about future decisions.
- Credit/no credit classes are being discussed in administration. “I think you’ll hear a decision coming out very soon,” Marrs says.
9:49 AM: Provost Rick Marrs is now speaking.
9:47 AM: Horton reads some student quotes from HRL who express their commitment to fulfilling their responsibilities as RA’s and SLA’s.
9:45 AM: “If you’ve ever heard me speak, you’ve heard me talk about the rising rates of anxiety among this cohort,” Horton said. “I can only imagine how a situation like this can be contributing to their anxiety.”
9:43 AM: Initially, nearly 1,000 exemption applications were submitted by students. A lot of students have since changed their minds. Pepperdine Strong Funds have been used for flights, travel arrangements. There are now 193 students remaining on campus.
9:42 AM: Vice President of Student Affairs Connie Horton is now updating the community on how students have handled the move to remote classes.
9:40 AM: Back to Gash again. “We are here for the students,” he says.
9:37 AM: Kats explains that the R-0, the number of people an infected individual spreads the disease to, of coronavirus is 3-4. For comparison, the common flu has an R-0 of 1-2. Katz says we are trying to “flatten the curve” for those at risk.
9:34 AM: Biology professor Lee Kats takes the stage.
9:32 AM: Back to Gash. He says the EOC has a small number of people who meet in the Seaver boardroom for Zoom calls, but they are spaced out around the boardroom table. Lee Kats will be delivering science lesson on the latest information out there on COVID-19.
9:30 AM: The EOC has been holding two formal 90-minute meetings daily, in addition to more sidebar meetings throughout the day.
- The most recent problem to be addressed is the state and county’s “Safer at Home” orders.
- Colleges and universities are technically an essential function, so in theory Pepperdine could remain open and operational. Right now, the university is open and operational, but only for essential work.
- The Waves Café remains open in a limited capacity with limited times.
9:25 AM: Phillips is showing a slideshow of who is on each committee and taskforce.
9:24 AM: Co-Chair of Emergency Operations Committee and Infectious Disease Taskforce Phil Phillips, takes the mic.
9:20 AM: Gash has been getting a lot of email in the recent weeks. He says there’s been an outpouring of support from students and parents.
9:15 AM: Corrie Zacharia sings an opening song.
9:13 AM: Back to President Gash.
9:04 AM: Hung Le takes the mic. “I’m thankful for the technology that still keeps us connected,” he says.
9:03 AM: Address will begin with a devotion by Hung Le. Connie Horton and Phil Phillips will be speaking. Nicole Taylor will moderate a Q & A at the end of the address.
9:01 AM: 600 viewers, the president will do these briefings every Monday at 9:00 A.M. until everyone is back on campus.
