ERIKA TUNGLAND
Staff Writer
The Perrins have more family reunions in a week than most Americans get in a year. That’s because they live across the street from each other. Robin Perrin lives with his family in the same block of condominiums as his cousin Tim Perrin and Tim’s family. Robin’s parents — Tim’s aunt and uncle — live on the same hillside. What a hillside it is: It’s nestled atop the Santa Monica Mountains, with blue ocean on one side and gentle slopes on the other. There’s plenty to do, too. Robin volunteers at his children’s Malibu schools, and both he and his wife find employment at Pepperdine, within walking distance from home. Their teenage son Jacob regularly visits the cafeteria and plays pool in the Sandbar while Dad works nearby in the Appleby Center.
So is the fortune of many Pepperdine faculty members. Robin Perrin is a sociology professor at Seaver College, and Tim Perrin is assistant provost for the university and a professor at the School of Law. Many other faculty members are also able to work while raising families just a short distance away.
Pepperdine features 119 staff condominiums — in many cases, stand-alone houses — on two developments, Campus View and Campus View II. The former features 63 units on Baxter Drive and Tiner Court, and the latter has 56 units on Drescher Campus. The University built Campus View II in the past two years, while the original units above main campus were built between 1982 and 1992.
Three-quarters of the condos go to faculty, with the remainder reserved for staff members. Units cost between $200,000 and $600,000, depending on the number of bedrooms, location and type of view.
The promise of relative safety for their families attracted many faculty members.
“My husband and I decided to live on campus many years ago,” said teacher education professor Susan Giboney. “We raised our children here and when our family faced hard times, it was comforting to know that we would never be in harm’s way at our home.”
Another major attraction is the convenience of a quick commute.
“I love living on campus,” said Melanie Emilio, a music professor. “The primary reason … is because of the many nights and weekends that I must be in our music facilities. It is wonderful to be able to go home, eat dinner and return for a rehearsal or performance.”
Before any faculty or staff member can be selected for an on-campus condominium, the university subjects them to a list of considerations. According to the Provost’s office, they must be full-time employees at the Malibu campus. Preference goes administrative staff who either work frequently after hours or who the University considers important to be closer to school. High-ranking faculty and Malibu Church of Christ ministers under special consideration also get preference.
The Provost’s Office produces the initial list of eligible candidates, but the Housing Committee — the Provost along with a mix of leaders from Seaver College, Pepperdine’s graduate schools and the homeowners’ association — reviews the applications and decides who qualifies. Those who are accepted may not always choose to move in. “A lot of people believe that campus living is tough on kids,” Perrin said. “True, they do not have a backyard, and the hills are too steep for bikes.”
“But we have a tight community on Baxter,” he continued. “In many ways, we really are a big happy family. We take care of one another and this includes our children. The Hilary Clinton line, ‘it takes a village,’ applies more on Baxter Drive that any community I know.”
09-08-2005
