Seaver College Diversity Council
Seaver College's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion is rooted in Pepperdine University's mission, "Pepperdine is a Christian university committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and Christian values, where students are strengthened for lives of purpose, service, and leadership."
As a Seaver Diversity and Belonging Council (SDC), we derive the following objectives from the mission to build the institution's capacity toward delivering its educational agenda:
- Develop strategic goals to increase recruitment, retention, and success of a diverse faculty, staff, and student body (access and equity).
- Foster a campus climate at Seaver College which is built upon inclusiveness, mutual respect, education, appreciation, and understanding.
- Facilitate the integration of diversity into teaching, research, service and scholarship (curriculum/co-curriculum and student learning/development).
The Seaver Diversity and Belonging Council will support the University's progress toward becoming a "learning organization" by using research and assessment data to both support and guide our diversity efforts.
Ongoing Initiatives
- Analyzing the current status of recruitment and retention of faculty of color and staff of color. Discussing and recommending necessary changes.
- Evaluating potential options for culturally inclusive pedagogical training for faculty and supporting current pilot programs.
- Recognizing Pepperdine's history with race and racism and working to create a inclusive campus community.
- Supporting student initiatives and advertising diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives
on campus.
Creation and Composition of the Council
Council members serve for a two-year period and may serve successive terms. Academic divisions elect faculty representatives and the council nominates staff members for the Dean's consideration. The Seaver Dean appoints staff members to the council, based on these recommendations. Faculty members serving on the Seaver Diversity and Belonging Council are Seaver Faculty Association (SFA) representatives, who function as liaisons on behalf of the council to their academic divisions.
Council members nominate student representatives, who may also be elected through the Student Government Association.
The SDC will nominate one or two active members to serve as chair/co-chair. The Dean of Seaver College shall appoint chair/co-chair for a two-year term (by May 1). The nomination process occurs in the chair/co-chair's final term of service (by March 15). Chair/co-chair may serve consecutive terms.
Voting members of the Seaver College Diversity Council are:
| An elected faculty representative from each academic division (eight representatives) | Director, Office of Student Accessibility |
| Associate Dean of Seaver College | Director, Intercultural Affairs Office |
| Associate Dean of Student Affairs | Staff representative(s) (appointed) |
| Senior Director, Student Administrative Services | Student representatives (appointed) |
| Director of Admission |
Ex-officio members of the Seaver College Diversity Council are:
| Dean of Seaver College (representative) | Office of Institutional Effectiveness (representative) |
For a current list of committee members, please contact the office of the Dean of
Seaver College.
Presiding Officers, Voting, and Scheduling of Meetings
The Council meets four times per academic year; however, it may choose to meet more frequently. The chair will preside and schedule meetings.
A volunteer will record minutes for each council meeting. The council's work is organized through sub-committees (subject to change): access and equity; curriculum/co-curriculum; student learning and development; and campus climate.
Fifty percent (50% quorum) of the voting members must be present with a simple majority. Voting may also be conducted via digital means at the council's discretion.