Pepperdine University - Promenade Yearbook (Malibu, CA)

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' nodel of proposed law school. Dr. Richard Miller accepts Tyler Ecology Award for Dr. Charles Elton. The snack shack vending machine pla::a opened its doors for student services in the winter trimester.

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were eliminated, and a liiring freeze was instituted. In later testimony, Young attributed Pepperdines deteriorating financial condition as a factor which led him to drink heavily the night before the fatal accident. The financial crisis also led to one of the largest faculty-administration conflicts witnessed by Seaver College, as well as spirited protest from Pepperdine ' s urban campus over plans to consolidate many under-graduate, liberal arts majors with existing programs at Seaver College, in effect, eliminating many of the programs completely and seriously limiting others. In January, Pepperdine ' s Board of Trustees officially announced that the university was placing a freeze on allocation of tenure, as well as all faculty, staff and administrative salaries. In addition, Pepperdine President William S. Banowsky announced the formation of a new Board of Regents to help supplant the Trustees which, according to university by-laws, must be members of the Church of Christ. Instead, the new Regents were a secular body, with no requisite religious affiliations. These combined actions raised a storm of protest from the Seaver College faculty. A one-day, symbolic work stoppage was held February 12 to demonstrate faculty unity and to protest what many considered the callous attitude on the part of the administration to academic needs at Seaver College, as well as a deviation from the school ' s unique Christian commitment. At this point. Chancellor Young was sentenced for his earlier conviction of felony manslaughter. He was given six-months to develop a special project to discuss the effects of stress on Type A people. However, transcripts of conversations between Judge Pierce Young, Dr. Banowsky and Young raised further questions regarding Pepperdine ' s Christian committment. As winter turned to spring, much of the tension and atmosphere of conflict mellowed as the Board of Regents overturned many of the controversial decisions of the Trustees. The tenure freeze was lifted following disclosure that a professor on the Los Angeles campus had received tenure in soite of the freeze. Four Seaver College faculty members were awarded the c oveted academic guarantee of freedom. Also, the improving financial condition allowed the Regents to lift the salary freeze and guarantee a 3 8 PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY Justice Harry Blachnnri addresses graduating Pep law students.

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per cent pay hike for both faculty and staff this year, and 6 per cent next year. Although regarded by some as examples of mere tokenism, many faculty leaders saw these moves as a new spirit of cooperation and concern on the part of the administration. As the spring trimester began, faculty-administration relations settled back into their previous pattern of surface tranquility. However, the faculty is still seeking access to information on the university ' s budget priorities, as well as studying the feasibility of collective bargaining to cover future disputes with the administration. As the year drew to a close, Seaver College theater and fine arts students began protesting the lack of adequate facilities. Director of Theater Robert West resigned, saying the present facilities were sorely deficient. However, the school agreed to heed the student pressure and initiated plans for constructing a temporary theater facility and made completion of a permanent fine arts building the number one priority for Seaver College. Overall, the year was one of the newsiest in Seaver College history. In fact, many issues remain unsettled. Chancellor Young still faces the possibility of jail time for his conviction, the faculty plans to continue their activism in hopes of gaining a greater role in setting priorities for the university and many students have taken a wait and see attitude on the administrat ion ' s promises for improvement in theater and fine arts facilities. Undoubtedly, the rising tuition and the unsettled role of the Church of Christ in Pepperdine ' s future will keep Seaver College in the news again ne.xt year. Wave volleyballers played UCLA for the NCAA national championship. Republican senate hopeful Al Bell talks with students (left).