Thanks for reading and it’s been a pleasure for Loureen and I to present the Perspectives section to you each week. Unfortunately it’s time for me to move on to more (or arguably less) important things— like the intense senior-level course load I’ll have next semester— and this will be my last column as section editor.
During the past three months we’ve covered a lot of ground from Marxism to avant-garde spirituality to sexuality (gasp!) and everywhere in between.
Though you may sometimes have disagreed with the way I’ve named my world at least you can’t argue that it hasn’t been named. And it’s been great to participate in true dialogue with you whether through online comments letters to the editor or passing conversation. Whatever the medium might have been you’ve actually named your world too by simply being a part of the discussion. Together we’ve co-created fresh impressions in the Pepperdine community’s collective mind and it’s been a rewarding feat.
Throughout all this naming I want to express the fact that I deeply love Pepperdine. Because of this love I feel the need to reiterate two adjustments that I feel would ensure its cultural (not to mention economic) viability amid the current generational shift.
The first is greater religious openness. The legacy of 1960s post-modernity despite being rejected by this university as antithetical to absolute truth has entered the mainstream of culture in the United States. This is not just a fleeting trend that will disappear if the administration turns a blind eye but a lasting effect of the plurality of our nation and the interconnectedness of the world today. Note to the Religious Standards Committee of the Board of Regents: adjust your policy recommendations accordingly.
Christianity is not incompatible with other faiths; in fact it was Christian openness that gave birth to many of the ideals of tolerance that are so firmly ingrained in us today. Where is the Muslim student union? Where is the LBGT club? This continued lack of diversity severely undermines Pepperdine’s academic reputation and its international image. The second is revision of community standards. The student handbook is terribly out of touch with students’ lives in the 21st century and many of the policies are in serious need of review and subsequent revision. Unreasonable visitation hours and strict restrictions on sexual relationships are needless forays into the students’ personal decisions as adults. The alcohol policy also remains overbearing and unrealistic.
Despite these criticisms the dean of students Mark Davis genuinely wants students to have the best possible experience. In fact like him most if not all of the administrators radiate enthusiasm and warmth and are not the mechanical “system” that many (including me) unfortunately often make them to be.
Though officials like Davis or the Board of Regents will inevitably become scapegoats there is really no one to blame but ourselves for our discontentment— the real power lies in our ability to organize for collective action. As students we must never forget that we are the lifeblood of this university the core of its existence. We must utterly reject the idea that— as a popular satirical poster during the French student protests in May 1968 warns— we should “Be young and shut up.” For evidence of our strength when we unite look no further than how fast the “WTF Caf” Facebook group (with its nearly 1000 members) is causing Sodexo to respond.
In closing Pepperdine is a beautiful place— and much more than just aesthetically so. Though there may be significant areas that need improvement this point can never be emphasized enough. Our university is full of unbelievably wonderful people filled with compassion and creativity and it’s been the utmost honor to be a voice among you.