President's Message to the Pepperdine Community on Belonging

February 27, 2025

Cultural winds are prone to shift, but as the culture moves around us, Pepperdine stands steadfast in its academic mission anchored in its Christian identity. Our core values have never been dictated by ever-changing trends, but by our calling to strengthen students for lives of purpose, service, and leadership. This solid foundation allows us to navigate uncertainty with confidence and clarity.

On February 14, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights issued a Dear Colleague Letter outlining new federal interpretations regarding race-based preferences in education. This directive clarifies legal obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. On February 19, Pepperdine's accrediting body, the Western Association of Schools and Colleges advised its member institutions to conduct a review of their policies with their general counsel based on the new Dear Colleague Letter. Pepperdine University leadership is reviewing federal guidance and University practices to consider the implications for the University.

Pepperdine is distinct in our understanding of biblical belonging as key to fostering a culture of radical hospitality and mutual respect as fellow image-bearers of God. We honor the dignity of every human being and engage with each other as living expressions of God’s creativity, love, and providential care. We endeavor to build a vibrant community of life-long learners that enthusiastically embraces the transformative potential of Pepperdine University’s unique educational process. In our quest for academic excellence and community belonging, we welcome a wide array of people and perspectives into the Pepperdine community as necessary collaborators for enriching thought, scholarship, service, and leadership in fulfillment of our Christian and academic mission.

Pepperdine is and will remain a place where all people are welcomed with dignity and respect, because we see all people as created in the image of God. There is no better root for belonging than this fundamental, biblical understanding of the human person. This is well-expressed in our affirmation statement: “That the student, as a person of infinite dignity, is the heart of the educational enterprise.”

May we continue to strive toward our vision of Pepperdine as a Revelation 7 community—with every tribe, tongue, and nation united in worship.