VOLUME 18 | ISSUE 1 | 2019
School of Public Policy
CELEBRATES 2019 COMMENCEMENT
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n April 26, 2019, the Pepperdine School of Public Policy (SPP) held its commencement ceremony for the graduating class of 2019 on the lawn of Alumni Park. Pepperdine University president Andrew K. Benton, provost Rick Marrs, public policy professor Robert Kaufman, and the dean of SPP, Pete Peterson, were all in attendance to officiate the ceremony. As is customary, a student of the graduating class was selected to deliver an address. This year’s student speaker, Brandon Ristoff (MPP ’19), encouraged his classmates to “go out and become the wavemakers [they] are destined to be." Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters recipient Lawrence Mone
Each year SPP honors an alumnus for exemplary achievements in his or her career. Nicole Kurokawa Neily (MPP ’06) was presented with the Distinguished Alumnus Award for her outstanding achievements serving Commencement continued on page 3
CA Housing Policy:
ARE OUR COMMUNITIES SUSTAINABLE? CONFERENCE
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n March 26, 2019, a unique mix of academics, activists, and policymakers from across the housing and development sector joined together to discuss sustainable solutions for affordable housing and city planning. Charles Marohn, founder
and president of Strong Towns, a nonprofit organization that works to support a model of development allowing America’s communities to grow financially stronger, provided the keynote address, “Stating the Problem.” An engineer and urban planner, Marohn
argued a number of problems with the way cities have been built to set the stage for the panel discussions taking place later in the day. Each panel consisted of a mix of cross-sector leaders that allowed for Housing conference continued on page 16
DEAN’S MESSAGE At the conclusion of 2018 the blackened hillsides reminded us of the turbulence that took place in and around the School of Public Policy. A tragic shooting at a local student gathering place claimed the life of Pepperdine undergraduate Alaina Housley in early November. With barely a day to grieve this loss, University students, faculty, and staff were impacted by a fast-moving fire burning its way toward campus from the north and east. As happens in times of crisis, I’ve witnessed many encouraging moments here at SPP—from professors and staff going above and beyond to serve students, to alumni reaching out from around the world to see if there’s anything they can do to help. The school has always been “strong” in this sense, but these events have made us stronger.
As we concluded the 2019 academic year with commencement ceremonies on our Alumni Park, it was difficult to find any evidence of those troubles. A wet winter and early spring left the grounds around campus as green as anyone can remember. The rhythm of the academic year is helpful, then, in keeping our eyes on the future even as we take stock of what we’ve been through. In the pages of this Dean’s Report, we’ll feature a year’s worth of events and developments, both here in Malibu, and around the country. The work of our Davenport Institute continues to prepare public leaders to better involve their residents in policymaking. With many new initiatives underway, we’ve maintained our focus on the public’s role in policymaking, which includes a consideration of the human side of policy seen through philosophy and history.
The crowds are returning to the beaches in Malibu as we near the summer season. The changing seasons help us process a year of exceptional challenges—God’s reminder that after tragedy can come new life.
PETE PETERSON
Dean, School of Public Policy
ARE AMERICAN COLLEGE CAMPUSES 'FREE SPEECH ZONES'?
The School of Public Policy partnered with the Steamboat Institute to host the Campus Liberty Tour for a discussion entitled, “Are American College Campuses 'Free Speech Zones'?” The discussion was led by Robert Kaufman, Robert and Katheryn Dockson Professor of Public Policy, and featured leading insights from Amy Wax, professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Alan Dershowitz, professor of law at Harvard Law School. 2 | School of Public Policy Dean’s Report
As microcosms of the "political correctness" narrative woven into the fabric of American culture, college administrators are often increasingly concerned with diversity and inclusiveness rather than defending free speech. Dershowitz reframed the discussion and pointed to a lack of diverse points of view in academia, while Wax contended that the meaning of diversity has been altogether “hijacked and perverted” by a progressive branch of higher education. She described herself as losing confidence in elite higher education systems where conservative scholars are being screened out of the hiring process. Wax encouraged conservative thinkers to fearlessly stand up for their beliefs in the public square and academic endeavors. As a possible remedy to the limits created by political correctness, Dershowitz proposed the use of a “truthing process” to facilitate the broader expression of ideas and enhance free speech on campuses. Both speakers presented skepticism toward the modern principles furthered by American higher education and the necessity of universities to recommit to founding academic values. Watch the video at: publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/events/2018/free-speech-zones.htm
ADVANCEMENT MESSAGE It doesn’t seem possible, but 2019 is likely to see a further polarization of our politics. From divided government in Washington, DC, talk of impeachment from Democrats who now control the House of Representatives, one-party domination in Sacramento, and signs that the economy may be in danger of a recession, the list goes on. In this environment the mission of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy has never been more important. We are one of the few right-of-center graduate policy schools in America. We believe in free markets. We believe that government is not the answer to every problem (despite what the media and others in higher education say). We believe that future leaders must understand America’s founding principles. Your generosity makes it possible for the best students in the country to attend SPP. You make it possible for us to host world-class speakers and events. Your gifts allow us to impact the important policy debates taking place in our country. You can continue to help in many different ways, such as:
• Name and endow a scholarship at
SPP for $10,000 (which can be paid over five years)
• Consider a gift to assist in our effort to raise $200,000 to partner with PragerU on an exciting series of videos focused on key California policy issues
• Become a Public Policy Associate
for an annual gift of $1,000 or $2,500. These annual gifts go directly to helping students enrolled in the program
• Serve as a mentor and/or assist students in finding meaningful internships and jobs
Thank you for your support. To learn more about the School of Public Policy and opportunities to become involved, please feel free to contact me anytime at matt.cutler@pepperdine.edu or 310.506.6513. You can also give a gift at your convenience on our website.
Give at: publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/giving
MATT CUTLER
Director of Development
Commencement from page 1
as president for Speech First, a membership-based organization that defends the free speech rights of university students across the nation through advocacy and litigation. Since its launch last year, the organization has amassed a following of concerned constituents and has filed multiple lawsuits on behalf of its members, including active federal court cases against two state universities. The 2019 commencement address was given by Lawrence J. Mone, a policy leader who understands how to put the public back into public policy. From 1995 until he retired this year, Mone was the president of the Manhattan Institute, one of the nation’s most influential public policy think tanks, whose mission is to develop and disseminate new ideas that foster greater economic choice
and individual responsibility. President Benton conferred the honorary degree on Mone for his dedication and persistent work with civic leaders
across the nation in finding solutions to urban policy programs. Watch the video at: publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/graduation publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 3
DENNIS PRAGER LEADS THE PATRICIA TAGLIAFERRI DEAN'S DISTINGUISHED LECTURE
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n November the Pepperdine School of Public Policy (SPP) hosted Dennis Prager for the annual Patricia Tagliaferri Dean’s Distinguished Lecture, which shared the title of his new book, The Rational Bible: Exodus. Pete Peterson, dean of SPP, opened the lecture by reminding attendees of the series’ central theme: “in the midst of our polarized era, the great ideas remain our touchstone in times of trouble, ones that should inform and prepare our public leaders.” Prager’s lecture echoed these same sentiments as he opened by discussing his new work, and how this ancient book of the Bible is consistent with modern rational thought. He further explored this theme by elaborating on the stories learned in Exodus and their applicability to today’s world issues. Prager’s trademark wit and character peppered his speech, as he detailed the need to retain a respect for the Bible in modern higher education and society as a whole. He stated that the “end of the Bible and the end of Christianity mean the end of America, and not because God will punish us . . . it’s a self-inflicted
punishment.” While the Bible is typically respected for its historical value, Prager argued that it still has great relevance to today’s issues globally, as the sources of all wisdom and morality are God and the Bible. He challenged the audience to dispute this claim, saying that even many atheists he has spoken with agree that without the presence of a god figure to dictate morality, the entire concept is relative because it is then a man-made idea. Prager acknowledged the relevance of other books of the Bible to the modern world, noting that the Bible requires us to judge those in a particular generation by that generation’s standards, rather than measure their actions according to the evolved, socially accepted standards of the day. As to the former practice, he cited the story of Noah, observing that Genesis tells us that Noah was “saved because he was a simple, good man in his generation,” and thus he was a righteous man in the eyes of God. Prager concluded with some final remarks reiterating the necessity
for basing modern values in Biblical wisdom. He pointed to the fact that President Lincoln was not an overly religious man, however, the only book Lincoln had on his nightstand during his presidency was the Bible because he too recognized from where the founding values and morals of our society were derived. Like Lincoln, Prager believes that America was founded on a set of values, not human instincts, and that these values are the key to keeping our principles firmly grounded in timeless ideas. Watch the video at: publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/events/ deans-distinguished-lecture-series/therational-bible-exodus-dennis-prager.htm
SPP LAUNCHES REDESIGNED WEBSITE
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n October SPP proudly announced its new, redesigned website at publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu. As part of a University-wide initiative representing an important shift in how Pepperdine communicates, the new site focuses on the needs and experiences of prospective and current students. Introducing a fresh visual design, streamlined navigation, and elevated, dynamic content, the site leverages the unique capabilities of mobile devices and social media to bring the user a more accessible and informative experience.
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THE LATEST FROM
CITIZENS’ INITIATIVE REVIEW
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hrough its many trainings, partnerships, and conferences that allow for fruitful discussion, the Davenport Institute continues to make strides toward encouraging and promoting public engagement in local government. Despite the interruption of the wildfires last fall, the Davenport Institute organized and cohosted a variety of events designed to foster conversation and stimulate action in local governance, as well as to support School of Public Policy students pursuing careers in local government. The fall semester is always a busy conference season, and this year, the Davenport Institute again took the message of authentic and inclusive public engagement on the road. Executive director Ashley Trim Labosier (MPP ’09) presented with consultant Kit Cole on the importance of well-designed participation in divided communities at the IAP2 North America conference in Victoria, British Columbia. She also hosted a panel on the significance of teaching public engagement in graduate policy programs at the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Panelists included Larry Rosenthal from the University of California, Berkeley, Terry Amsler from Indiana University, and Lindsey Lupo from Point Loma Nazarene University. Closer to home, the Davenport Institute cohosted an event with Coro Southern California on local engagement, and Trim Labosier presented at the biannual Youth for the Environment and Sustainability (YES) conference hosted by the YOLO Local Agency Formation Commission in West Sacramento, as well as at the National Civic League’s mayoral learning exchange on public engagement in Los Angeles. Dean Pete Peterson and Davenport Institute advisory council member Deborah Linden (retired police chief of San Luis Obispo) offered several trainings for public safety to 100 of the lead officers of the Los Angeles Police Department through
Davenport Institute Spotlight:
our ongoing relationship with the department and the California Police Chiefs Association. While the institute focuses primarily on local government, this fall it had the opportunity to work on a statewide engagement project. In September the Davenport Institute partnered with Oregon-based nonprofit Healthy Democracy to bring the first-ever Citizens’ Initiative Review of one of California's upcoming ballot initiatives. The project was also supported by two current SPP students; Dylan Janney, who served as the project’s information coordinator; and Gabriella Anson, who served as a panelist and expert liaison. Back on campus, the institute hosted three Davenport discussions during the fall semester. Amit Thakkar, founder and CEO of LawMaker.io, shared his vision for crowdsourced democracy. Thakkar created LawMaker.io to allow civilians to float and refine policy proposals as well as build advocacy campaigns and lobby elected officials. San Fernando vice mayor Sylvia Ballin discussed how she became involved in local politics and offered advice for students interested in pursuing local elected office. Paul Chang from the US Department of Labor shared his thoughts about regional approaches to combating labor trafficking and walked students through the scope and complexity of both the issue and interagency responses to it.
California is the most active state in the US when it comes to ballot initiatives. But while voters support the initiative process, they dislike complicated, confusing initiatives and undue special-interest influence. This makes initiative reform a perennial, but seemingly intractable, issue in California. What if, instead of changing the initiative process, we focused on making initiative information clearer, more accessible, and more democratic? This is the question the Davenport Institute and Healthy Democracy set out to answer in hosting the first-ever California statewide Citizens’ Initiative Review (CIR) in Sacramento. This deliberative process brought together a randomly selected, demographically balanced “jury” of citizens and gave them the time and resources to really dive into the issues surrounding one ballot initiative: Proposition 10, the Local Rent Control Initiative. Over four days, the panel heard directly from campaigns for and against the measure, as well as from independent policy experts to help cut through campaign rhetoric. Using voting and consensus techniques, the panel drafted a citizens’ statement that identified what they perceived to be the most important findings about the content of the initiative, as well as the three most reliable arguments for and against it. This information was made available to media and to various policy influencers, as well as distributed through the Davenport Institute network in order to be a resource for as many voters as possible. In Oregon, where the CIR was first developed, the citizens’ statement is included as part of the official ballot guide. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 5
2018–2019 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS
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he Pepperdine School of Public Policy awards a number of scholarships each year. These awards are made available through endowed funds, generous gifts from supporters and alumni, and allocation of University general funds. The scholarship committee awards scholarships based on merit, academic, and professional experience, as well as standardized test scores. The School of Public Policy is proud to recognize the 2018–2019 scholars:
LASZLO AND MILKA AMBRUS ENDOWED SCHOLARS
WILLIAM S. AND GAY BANOWSKY ENDOWED SCHOLAR
The Laszlo and Milka Ambrus Endowed Scholarship was established for students pursuing a degree at the School of Public Policy who are in good standing in all areas of the University.
Established by Lew O. Ward and supported by a circle of friends, the William S. and Gay Banowsky Endowed Scholarship provides grants to students pursuing a master of public policy at the School of Public Policy.
JULIA GHO (MPP '19) BA, International Relations, Chinese, Communications, and Science Communications Calvin College JENNIFER MARROQUIN BA, International Studies University of California, Irvine BRANDON RISTOFF (MPP '19) BA, Liberal Arts Thomas Aquinas College
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SPENCER ROUSH BA, Political Science Loyola University, Maryland
JOHN AND REBECCA BARTON ENDOWED SCHOLAR
BLACK ALUMNI COUNCIL SCHOLAR The Black Alumni Council Scholarship was established to support students at the School of Public Policy through the generosity of the Black Alumni Council. NARON DENNIS BS, Sports Medicine Pepperdine University
DR. FRANK W. AND MRS. SHERRY R. CORNELL ENDOWED SCHOLARS The Dr. Frank W. and Mrs. Sherry R. Cornell Endowed Scholarship provides support for Catholic students pursuing a degree at the School of Public Policy.
DANIELLE MOORE The John and Rebecca Barton Endowed BA, Communications Scholarship was established in memory John Paul the Great Catholic University of Harry E. Shafer and Izelle C. Shafer to support gifted and talented students BRIGITTA who, in the judgment of the University, SANCHEZ-O’BRIEN offer great promise for leadership in our BS, Communications country or its supporting institutions. Media LIDIA OJEDA (MPP '19) BS, Sociology University of California, San Diego
John Paul the Great Catholic University
SALLY H. EDWARDS ENDOWED SCHOLAR
LYNN AND FOSTER FRIESS ENDOWED SCHOLARS
The Sally H. Edwards Endowed Scholarship Fund was established in honor of Bert and Mildred Lefevre and provides support for students, with a preference given to those students from Hawaii.
Established by a gift from the National Christian Foundation Giving fund on behalf of the Foster and Lynn Friess and the Friess Family Foundation, the Lynn and Foster Friess Endowed Scholarship provides support for qualified School of Public Policy students who have evidenced leadership based on the principles embedded in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States.
JARED SAM AGTUNONG BA, History and Political Science Vanguard University
FRITZ ENDOWED SCHOLARS Founded in 2001 by Lynn C. Fritz, the Fritz Institute is a nonprofit organization designed to partner with governments, nonprofit organizations, and corporations worldwide to innovate solutions and facilitate the adoption of the best practices for rapid and effective disaster response and recovery.
CURRIE DICKERSON (MPP '19) BS, Political Science Florida State University ZACHARY HAYES (MPP '19) BA, Political Science Loyola Marymount University
LILIA MONTERROSA BA, Political Science San Diego State University EMILY POBUDA (MPP '19) MA, International Relations Institut Barcelona d’Estudis Internacionals BA, International Studies Adrian College ARIANA ROMERO (MPP ’18) BA, Political Science California State University, Fullerton
ENDOWED JEWISH SCHOLAR The Endowed Jewish Scholarship Fund provides assistance to Jewish students in good academic standing who are pursuing a degree at the School of Public Policy. GABRIELLA ANSON BA, Sociology Occidental College
PETER AND VERONICA JOHNSON ENDOWED SCHOLAR The Peter and Veronica Johnson Endowed Scholarship provides support to students with financial need who are highly qualified applicants to the School of Public Policy and remain in good standing in all areas of the University. ZACHARY HAYES (MPP '19) BA, Political Science Loyola Marymount University
RUSSELL AND COLENE JOHNSON ENDOWED SCHOLAR Currie Dickerson and Zachary Hayes
LINDA M. GAGE PLP ENDOWED SCHOLAR The Linda M. Gage PLP Endowed Scholarship was established by Jerry and Kay Cox to provide scholarship support to Churches of Christ students with financial need.
The Russell and Colene Johnson Endowed Scholarship was established for students pursuing a degree at the School of Public Policy who are in good standing in all areas of the University. BRANDON BURNS BA, Political Science, Communication California State University, Channel Islands
CARTER CLINEBELL BA, Biology Pepperdine University
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THOMAS P. KEMP ENDOWED SCHOLAR The Thomas P. Kemp Endowed Scholarship was established in 2006 as a memorial legacy to Pepperdine regent and avid supporter of the School of Public Policy, Thomas P. Kemp. ANASTASIA AGUAS BA, Political Science California Baptist University
MIKE E. O’NEAL ENDOWED SCHOLAR Established by Peter Cheung and Fred Prager, this endowed scholarship was created to aid deserving School of Public Policy students. CONNOR CHASE BA, Economics Pepperdine University
ALLEN AND MARILYN PUCKETT ENDOWED SCHOLARS The Allen and Marilyn Puckett Endowed Scholarship was established to provide support for students at the School of Public Policy. JOSEPH CHIDIAC BA, Social Science Hope International University JACOB DUNLAP (MPP '19) BA, Political Science Grove City College DANIELLE HARRINGTON BA, History and Political Science Vanguard University KELSEY SOMMERVILLE (MPP '18) BA, Political Science Azusa Pacific University NITAI WU BA, English Huazhong University of Science and Technology
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S. A. ENLIGHTENMENT SCHOLAR The S. A. Enlightenment Scholarship was established with a gift from the S. A. Enlightenment Foundation to provide scholarship support for students from predominantly Muslim countries. SARAH ELSHAMY BA, Mass Communications Ain Shams University
HARRY AND IZELLE SHAFER ENDOWED SCHOLAR The Harry and Izelle Shafer Endowed Scholarship was established in memory of Harry E. Shafer and Izelle C. Shafer to support gifted and talented students who, in the judgment of the University, offer great promise for leadership in our country or its supporting institutions. ANASTASIA AGUAS BA, Political Science California Baptist University
MARILYN DUNTON SIMPSON ENDOWED SCHOLAR Established by Marilyn Dunton Simpson in 2009, this scholarship provides support for students at the School of Public Policy. SHELBY DEWBERRY BS, Journalism California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
MAURICE H. STANS ENDOWED SCHOLARS Established in 1999 by the Stans trust, the Maurice H. Stans Endowed Scholarship was created to provide support for African American students. NARON DENNIS BS, Sports Medicine Pepperdine University HUNTER HASTINGS BS, Economics and Philosophy University of Oregon CHRISTOPHER RODGERS BS, Finance Pepperdine University
STANS FAMILY FOUNDATION SCHOLAR Established in 2012, the Stans Family Foundation Endowed Scholarship was created to provide support to students pursuing a degree at the School of Public Policy, with preference given to students who hold a license as a certified public account and/or hold a degree in accounting or a related field who are in good standing in all areas of the University. CHRISTOPHER RODGERS BS, Finance Pepperdine University
FLORA L. THORNTON ENDOWED SCHOLARS Established by Flora L. Thornton in 2009, this scholarship is a meritbased academic scholarship for students at the School of Public Policy with demonstrated leadership potential. BRENNAN BALSON BA, Environmental Studies Santa Clara University
TERRALYNN AND EARL SWIFT ENDOWED SCHOLARS Established in 2006 by Terralyn and Earl Swift, this endowed scholarship was created to provide assistance to students interested in studying how people from diverse cultures might discover common values in the context of global interdependence. IBRAHIM KILIC BA, Law, Economics, and Public Policy University of Washington
CURRIE DICKERSON (MPP '19) BS, Political Science Florida State University DANIELLE HARRINGTON BA, History and Political Science Vanguard University LIDIA OJEDA (MPP '19) BS, Sociology University of California, San Diego
GABRIELLE ROCKWELL (MPP '19) BA, Italian and International Studies Nazareth College BRYCE SEYMOUR (MPP '19) BS, Earth and Environmental Science and Health Science Furman University HAOJUN WANG BBM, Administrative Office Management University of International Relations
MATTHEW PEIRCE BA, History and Interdisciplinary: Philosophy, Politics, and Economics DePauw University
MARIE-ANNE MORRIS BA, Applied Foreign Languages The University of Tours
LYDELL WARD ENDOWED SCHOLAR Established in 2008 with a gift from School of Public Policy Board of Advisors member Beti Ward, the Lydell Ward Endowed Scholarship is awarded to qualified female students pursuing a master of public policy. ANASTASIA AGUAS BA, Political Science California Baptist University
Lidia Ojeda, Danielle Harrington, Matthew Peirce, Gabrielle Rockwell, Currie Dickerson
MICHAEL AND CHERYL WARDER ENDOWED SCHOLAR The Michael and Cheryl Warder Endowed Scholarship Fund was established for students pursuing a degree at the School of Public Policy who are in good standing in all areas of the University and who are either current members of any of the five United States armed forces or honorably discharged from one of them. STEPHEN RICHARDSON (MPP '19) BS, Political Science California Polytechnic University
J. MCDONALD AND JUDY WILLIAMS SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY SCHOLAR Established by J. McDonald and Judy Williams in 1999, this scholarship is designed to assist deserving School of Public Policy students who are members of Churches of Christ. CARTER CLINEBELL BA, Biology Pepperdine University
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FACULTY/FELLOW UPDATE LUISA BLANCO RAYNAL
Associate Professor of Public Policy
Luisa Blanco Raynal had several publications derived from her National Institute of Health (NIH)-funded work. “Delivering Information About Retirement Saving Among Hispanic Women: Two Facebook Experiments,” coauthored with Luis Rodriguez, associate creative director at Ogilvy, was published by the Journal of Behavioral Public Policy. She also published “Understanding the Racial/ Ethnic Gap in Bank Account Ownership among Older Adults” in the Journal of Consumer Affairs. This manuscript was coauthored with Emma Aguila and Marco Angrisani of the University of Southern California, and Mei Leng of the University of California, Los Angeles. Blanco, in collaboration with Salvador Contreras of the University of Texas, Rio Grande Valley, also published a short piece in the American Economic Association’s Minority Report, titled “Mobile Technology as a Tool for Economic Inclusion.” Blanco is a coinvestigator of the NIH-funded Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research IV/Center for Health Improvement of Minority Elderly III. She also received funding from L.A. Care for the project titled “Women’s Health and Financial Literacy."
CARSON BRUNO
Assistant Dean for Admissions and Program Relations Adjunct Faculty, School of Public Policy
Carson Bruno was selected to be a part of the inaugural cohort of Coro Southern California’s Lead LA fellowship—a nine-month leadership and policy development program using collaborative and immersive training for mid-career professionals. The fellowship kicked off in September with an intensive retreat in Palm Springs, California, and concluded in May 2019. Bruno also joined KPCC’s award-winning show AirTalk in both August and October 2018 as a guest exploring national and California political and policy events. In December 2018 Bruno traveled to San Francisco to sit as a panelist for the Commonwealth Club of California’s “Week to Week Political Roundtable” program, discussing current political and policy events and implications of the November 2018 midterm elections. He continues to represent the School of Public Policy on the Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation’s board of governors and sits on the board of the Crete Academy, a full social service and educational charter school serving South Los Angeles.
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ANNA CHOI
James Q. Wilson Visiting Professor, School of Public Policy
Anna Choi, with Dhaval Dave and Joseph J. Sabia, published the paper, “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: Medical Marijuana Laws and Tobacco Cigarette Use,” in the American Journal of Health Economics. She also collaborated with Teach for All and provided comments on the Teach for Bulgaria’s evaluation study on students’ social and emotional skills development in the classroom. Choi reviewed the pilot survey instruments to evaluate the social and emotional skills development of primary school-aged students and to provide recommendations based on the preliminary data and findings. She gave a guest lecture at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s Education 2030 Workshop Training on Curriculum Content Mapping on international curriculum analysis, specifically on the methodological issues and international comparability of results when conducting curriculum analysis across different countries. Choi was also awarded the 2019–20 Pilot Award from the Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research. This award is funded by the Center for Health Improvement of Minority Elderly at the University of California, Los Angeles, and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute for the project on disparities in health behaviors related to obesity among minority elders in California. From the Pepperdine University Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Strategic Initiatives, Choi and associate professor Luisa Blanco Raynal were awarded funding for their Community-Based Research Program project, “Mobile Money Diary: A Community-Based Intervention to Promote Financial Knowledge and Good Money Management Practices Among College Students."
WADE GRAHAM
Adjunct Faculty, School of Public Policy
In November 2018 Wade Graham published Braided Waters: Environment and Society in Molokai, Hawaii, which uses the repeated settlement of the island of Molokai to explore the relationship between environment and society. Graham’s op-ed, “Can California Embrace Fire?” was published by the Los Angeles Times on December 9, 2018. He was also a featured guest at the KCRW town hall event, “California Wildfire: Learning to Live in the ‘New Abnormal,’” hosted by Madeleine Brand on December 13, 2018. Graham discussed the Pepperdine campus experience in the Woolsey Fre and the lessons it can teach California in designing and preparing for fire in both the op-ed and the KCRW panel.
ROBERT KAUFMAN
Robert and Katheryn Dockson Professor of Public Policy
Robert Kaufman continues research on President Trump’s foreign policy for his third book with the University Press of Kentucky. In December 2018 Kaufman published an article in H-Diplo, an interdisciplinary network and publication center for work on diplomatic and international history. In January 2019 Strategika, a journal published by the Hoover Institution, published another of Kaufman’s essays, this time on President Trump, NATO, and burden sharing.
JAMES PRIEGER
Professor of Public Policy
In October 2018 James Prieger presented at the University of Southern California, where he discussed his research on the broadband digital divide for minorities in the US, and the particular promise that mobile broadband may hold. Prieger also presented at American University Law School in September 2018 at the annual research conference on communications, information, and internet policy, where he discussed his research on how regional broadband, transportation infrastructure, and human capital affect new business formation in local areas. Heng Lu (MPP ’17) and Qian Zhang (MPP ’17) collaborated on an early version of this paper. Prieger continues to present “Tax Evasion, Illicit Trade, and Smokers’ Responses to a Tax Increase,” his research on smokers’ responses to the California cigarette tax increase, and did so recently at the International Atlantic Economic Society, the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy, and at Ball State University. Prieger was recently among the top 10 percent of authors on Social Science Research Network for total new downloads within the last 12 months.
ROBERT SEXTON
Distinguished Professor of Economics, Seaver College
In January 2019 Robert Sexton had eighth editions of two of his books, Exploring Microeconomics and Exploring Macroeconomics, published by SAGE Publishing. Sexton has two forthcoming fifth editions of Exploring Microeconomics and Exploring Macroeconomics with coauthors Peter Fortura and Colin Kovacs to be published by Canadian publisher Nelson Education Ltd. in 2019. He recently refereed “Optimal Public Policy Against Identity Theft,” Vol. 62, Issue 2, 2017 (with Philip Graves) for American Economist and published “Leisure and the Production Possibility Frontier: A Two-Step Pedagogy,” Vol. 64, Issue 1, 2019 (with Gary Galles and Philip Graves) in that same journal.
ALUMNI NOTES OLUWATOMI JAIYEOLA ('09, MPP '15) was named
Outstanding Alumni Abroad by Pepperdine University for her exceptional work as the program manager for the Office of the Special Adviser on Education at the Lagos State Government. She teaches thousands of Lagos residents how to code and how to engage in logical reasoning, problem solving, design thinking, and creativity.
VIANEY LOPEZ (MPP '12)
served on the Hueneme Elementary School District Board for six years until her recent election to the Oxnard City Council in 2018. Oxnard is the 19 th largest city in the state of California. For the past two years Lopez has also served as the district director for assemblymember Monique Limón (AD 37), who represents portions of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.
RADU OPREA (MPP '08) was named Outstanding Alumni Abroad by Pepperdine University for his groundbreaking work as president of the Young Entrepreneurs Association from the Southeast Region of Romania. His passion for participative democracy and entrepreneurship is demonstrated by his development of Start UP Smart 2.0, an organization responsible for training more than 350 new entrepreneurs in Romania.
What’s new with you To share your alumni news, please submit to jaclyn.ramirez@pepperdine.edu.
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FALL POLICY INTENSIVES WITH PRACTITIONERS SERIES Every semester the School of Public Policy hosts three policy intensive seminars for students’ professional development. Each seminar features a unique policy theme and set of leading experts on the topic. The fall semester’s three seminars complemented the specializations offered in our curriculum: state and local, American, and international politics.
HANNAH EARL
A Convenient Truth: How Film Can Influence Policy Hannah Earl, a talent associate for the Moving Picture Institute, reflected on the past 10 years of media influence and landscape, comparing the beginning of television to the current multitude of on demand media. Earl noted that freedom of speech, recognized as fundamental by leaders as disparate as James Madison and Frederick Douglass, is a core right under the US Constitution for both individuals and for businesses. The media play an important role in everyday lives, and with an increased access to on demand media, it is becoming more important for policymakers to play a specific role in the representation of freedom of speech in media. The state of the media influences its audience and is inconsistently aligned with the view of the American founding.
ROGER GEORGE
How the Intelligence Community Works— Sometimes Roger George, professor of national security practice at Occidental College, noted that the National Security Act of 1947 was the driving force behind the creation of today’s intelligence community. George's 30-year career in the Central Intelligence Agency, and assignments with the State Department and Department of Defense, provide him with an expert lens on the modern intelligence community. George further dove into the interaction between the intelligence community and policymakers, making clear that the intelligence community only advises on policy and makes recommendations, while the president makes the final decision. He discussed at length how, given their different incentive structures, the intelligence community can clash with policymakers.
CAMERON SUBLETT
California Community Colleges: Opportunities and Challenges Cameron Sublett, an associate professor of education at the Pepperdine Graduate School of Education and Psychology, has conducted extensive research on higher education in community colleges. Leading with the history of community colleges, Sublett argued that the identity crisis they currently face results from their complex history. While community colleges were originally conceived as a continuation of high school, certain intellectuals had a contrary understanding, believing that community colleges could become intellectual powerhouses, thereby creating a fundamental conflict in their identity crisis. Sublett concluded that although community colleges have been enormously successful at providing access to students, improving the number of students who graduate within the average three years is a goal community colleges should work toward.
The well-attended series provided spring 2019 sessions on US health policy, military strategies, and private-sector tools. Policy intensives continued on page 17
LUNCHTIME CONVERSATION: PROTESTS IN THE MARKETPLACE In October the School of Public Policy held a lunchtime event entitled, "Protest Politics in the Marketplace," after speaker Caroline Heldman’s 2017 book, Protest Politics in the Marketplace: Consumer Activism in the Corporate Age. In her work, Heldman examines how social media has revolutionized the use and effectiveness of consumer activism, emphasizing that such activism is a democratizing force that improves political participation, self-governance, and the accountability of corporations and the government. She investigates the use of these tactics by both sides of the political spectrum, blending democratic theory with data, historical analysis, and coverage of consumer campaigns for civil rights, environmental conservation, animal rights, gender justice, LGBT rights, and other causes.
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In her talk, Heldman analyzed the democratic implications of boycotting, socially responsible investing, social media campaigns, and direct consumer actions, highlighting the ways in which such consumer activism serves as a countervailing force against corporate power in politics. Using an interdisciplinary approach applicable to political theorists and sociologists; Americanists; and scholars of business, the environment, and social movements; Heldman considered activism in the marketplace from the Boston Tea Party to the present. In doing so, she provided a clearer understanding of the new, permanent environment of consumer activism in which these many groups operate.
SPP HOSTS INAUGURAL CROSS-SECTOR LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
T
he Pepperdine School of Public Policy proudly hosted its inaugural Cross-Sector Leadership conference in October. Pete Peterson, dean of SPP, stated that cross-sector leadership is considered to be “the new old form of American public leadership.” This conference hosted a variety of keynote speakers and panelists, as well as leading professionals in cross-sector collaboration between the public, private, and nonprofit spheres. Cross-sector leadership is not a job or career objective, it is a way of solving public policy challenges. It allows for the transition of the way that society conducts business from the traditional career ladder, to a focus on the actual effect of an impact. Panelist and keynote speaker, John Kobara, asserted that “change is not the little experiment; it is efficiently and effectively getting to the policy.” The purpose and intent of cross-sector leadership is to problem solve in a collaborative and cohesive way in order to reduce inefficiencies and highlight the effectiveness of capitalizing on the overlap of various industries.
The attendees of the conference gave several examples of their past successes collaborating with those from other sectors of society and providing a solution in policy areas ranging from disaster preparedness to child social services. As agreed upon by the speakers and professionals at the conference, the most effective way to initiate cross-sector collaboration is through trust. Trust is fundamental to mediating the relationships between the public, private, and nonprofit sectors, which often have conflicting cultures and incentive structures. “Trust,” they contended, “is the new scale.” One of the ways to showcase the bond between the sectors is to always pursue a relationship with entities with which an individual, company, or organization can align, in both mission and leadership. Peterson states that in practice, the significance of cross-sector leadership is already visible in “leaders who view their work in a cross-sector way before the crisis or issue occurs.” Cross-sector leadership not only encourages, but demands innovative transboundary collaboration to efficiently solve policy problems.
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SPP Explores
FIGHTING NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION WITH INTELLIGENCE: THREE MODELS The Pepperdine School of Public Policy welcomed Henry D. Sokolski, the executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center, to speak on his three models of fighting nuclear proliferation with intelligence. Sokolski related the past and present relationship between policymakers and intelligence officers. Sokolski briefly discussed the history of nuclear proliferation in Israel, Taiwan, and South Korea, and elaborated on his three models. He shared that these models were a result of conversations with seniorlevel intelligence officers and his commission of eight nuclear proliferation primary histories, which allowed him to determine how success and failure would
manifest for the US as it moves toward preventing the spread of nuclear weapons. His first model for intelligence and policymaking is to push for timely and accountable action, acknowledging that it is rare but critical. His next model focuses on the importance of establishing agreements with countries, and then working to monitor their activities. We must then be willing to step in and take action if and when we verify that the countries are no longer operating within the bounds of the agreement. Finally, he concluded that it is essential that the wall remain between policymakers and intelligence officers to maintain objectivity and to prevent policymakers from presenting information from a subjective viewpoint.
SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY RETURNS TO THE NATION’S CAPITAL After the successful inaugural Washington, DC Policy Scholars Program during the summer of 2018, the School of Public Policy (SPP) returned to the nation’s capital in June for the second such program. This 3-unit, full-tuition scholarship graduate-level course again featured American Enterprise Institute’s director of domestic studies Ryan Streeter as co-faculty. This summer Streeter was joined by Dr. Elizabeth Spalding, associate professor of government at Claremont McKenna College, for the four weeks of the program. SPP started this program to bring its unique policy graduate studies approach to students and young professionals studying and working in Washington, DC. The course, entitled American Gospel: The Role of Religion in US Domestic and Foreign Policy, accurately captures SPP’s cross-sector public leadership approach by bringing policy analysis together with history, religious freedom and viewpoint diversity studies, and strategic decision-making. Scholars explore how religious
and cultural factors have served as key motivators in US policy related to the abolition and civil rights movements, debates around abortion and marriage policy, and foreign policy in a post-9/11 world. Available to only 20 qualified scholars who are rising juniors or seniors at undergraduate institutions enrolled in a graduate program or young professionals working in or around Washington, DC, the program met three times a week during Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings at the Pepperdine DC campus on Pennsylvania Avenue from June 4 to June 29, 2019. Successful scholars can transfer their 3 units of graduate course work into the School of Public Policy’s master of public policy degree program (or petition a transfer to other graduate policy institutions) and receive a completion certificate. Learn more: publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/ washington-dc-policy-programs/scholars
WASHINGTON, DC
POLICY SCHOLARS PROGRAM
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Annual Licata Lecture Features
ELIZABETH SPALDING ON FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT The Pepperdine School of Public Policy held its annual Charles and Rosemary Licata Lecture on March 18, 2019. Keynote speaker Elizabeth Spalding, associate professor of government at Claremont McKenna College, spoke about the role of faith in presidents’ political decision-making. The four presidents she discussed were Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, and George W. Bush. She explained how each, sharing a determination to “fight the good fight” in an effort toward peace, individually incorporated faith into his political vision of a postwar world. For example, having led the country to success in World War I, Wilson was greatly disheartened that the US did not engage in the subsequent administration of peace in Europe. Speaking of his conviction that the US would help in the establishment of good international relations abroad, he said that “we shall prevail is as sure as God reigns.” In his 1941 State of the Union address, Roosevelt spoke about how this nation placed “its faith in freedom under the guidance of God,” and “to that high concept there can be no end save victory.” He understood that stable peace and the preservation of freedom could not be achieved without God’s help. During the Cold War, Reagan said in his “evil empire” speech to the National Association of Evangelicals that he understood “how Abraham Lincoln felt when he said, ‘I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.’” He urged those in the audience to “pray for the salvation of all those who live in that totalitarian darkness—pray that they will discover the joy of knowing God.” Spalding argued that we could not and should not separate ourselves from the battle of right and wrong or from the battle of good and evil. She noted that in his 2004 State of the Union address, Bush said “I believe that God has planted in every human heart the desire to live in freedom. And even when that
desire is crushed by tyranny for decades, it will rise again.” Religious faith was a foundation to his understanding of politics, including peace and conflict. While we are not living in the days of Wilson, FDR, Reagan, or Bush, we are still in the midst of the war on terror. Spalding concluded by speaking about the present day. As to her thesis, she said that President Donald Trump would probably say that he is fighting the good fight, that God is great, and that “make America great again” is about security, success, prosperity, and winning. Though the times are different and are ever-changing, the connection of faith and foreign policy is with us still. Watch the video at: publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/events/2019/ fighting-the-good-fight.htm
SPP STUDENTS PLACE IN TOP THREE AT NASPAA STUDENT SIMULATION COMPETITION School of Public Policy (SPP) students Jared Agtunong, Tobi Korth, Lilia Monterrosa, and Matthew Peirce represented SPP at this year's NASPAA Student Simulation Competition at the competition’s University of San Francisco location. This year’s theme was a hypothetical international refugee crisis. The students invested a tremendous
amount of time and effort in preparing for this competition and represented SPP extremely well. “These results are a great reflection on our students and their hard work as well as the training they receive at Pepperdine," noted Michael Shires, associate dean for strategy and special projects and director of assessment. “It is exciting to see
them achieve at such a high level in the simulation and I look forward to watching what they will accomplish in the real world."
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Housing conference from page 1
compelling discourse throughout the day. Liam Dillon, staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, moderated the first panel, “Sustainable Solutions to Housing Affordability.” He and the panelists addressed topics such as Governor Gavin Newsom's Closing California’s Housing Gap report, the zone capacity in Los Angeles, the California Environmental Quality Act, housing affordability from a realtor's perspective, and local, state, and regional development. “How Do We Keep a Sense of Place as We Grow?” the keynote conversation, was led by Pete Peterson, dean of SPP, and Rick Cole, city manager of the City of Santa Monica. This philosophical discussion highlighted that cities can and should be designed to reflect the values of the community. Cole noted that much of the language policymakers and even activists use around the housing issue is disconnected from the public’s perception. Cole closed with, “There is a big difference between a ‘home’ and ‘housing.’ Everyone wants to make a home.” Matthew Yglesias, senior correspondent for Vox.com, moderated “YIMBY-ism: A New Public Voice for Change?” in which panelists focused on the “Yes in My Backyard” movement. YIMBY advocates the development of new affordable housing in cities where rental costs have dramatically increased and reached unaffordable levels. Panelists discussed market urbanism, housing plans for homeless populations, and differences between housing development and policy changes.
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Michael Shires, associate professor of public policy and associate dean for strategy and special projects at SPP, moderated "How Can Cities Be Planned to Strengthen Economic Opportunity?” with an emphasis on what we can do better. Amanda Daflos, innovation director for Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti, discussed how city officials have recently spent time considering accessory and other alternative dwelling units in Los Angeles and how such housing can support economic opportunities moving into the future. James Mayer, president and chief executive officer of California Forward, moderated the last panel, “At What Levels Should These Decisions Be Made?” He recognized that California is a complicated place to live with its unique interplay of counties, cities, and school districts, and that people at different levels of government prioritize safe and sustainable housing. “Land-use planning and governing needs to stay at the local level,” urged Lemon Grove city manager Lydia Romero. Romero continued by encouraging private developers to not only look at market conditions but also at the difficult issues that arise for cities in connection with the erection of new housing. Watch the video at: publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/events/2019/ sustainable-home-conference.htm
SPP Hosts
CPAC 2019 AS A SATELLITE LOCATION In March the School of Public Policy (SPP) served as a satellite location for the annual Conservative Political Action Conference. Attendees in Malibu were able to watch conference panelists and speakers including President Donald Trump and Dennis Prager. In Malibu, dean Pete Peterson spoke with guest speakers Lanhee Chen, David and Diane Steff Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Tom McClintock, congressional representative of the 4th District of California, and John Wood, director of media development at Better Angels. Discussion topics included lessons for Republicans and Conservatives, why Republicans lost seats across California in the 2018 elections, the conservative principles of our Founders, progressiveness, and maintaining a positive outlook in today’s times. McClintock spoke about the need to reach and educate the generations that are losing their memory of freedom. Americans need, he said, to be vigorous defenders of the First Amendment and need to be intentional in their engagement of healthy dialogue.
SPP values and promotes viewpoint diversity in academia. With students from various backgrounds, the school helps form leaders who value the freedoms of the United States, and are willing to rise up to preserve them. The school was honored to host the 2019 CPAC Conference. Watch the video at: publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/events/2019/cpac.htm
Policy intensives from page 12
SPRING POLICY INTENSIVES WITH PRACTITIONERS SERIES The spring semester’s three seminars complemented topics offered in our curriculum: health policy, American politics, and private-sector tools for problem solving.
LINDSAY KIMBRO BROOKER (MPP ’11),
telehealth implementation manager at UCLA Health focused on healthcare policy. From constantly changing federal and state legislation, differences in public and private insurers, and the tensions between payers and health providers, the health policy landscape is complicated for even the most savvy policy expert. The goal of this session was to give a very high-level overview of healthcare policy landscape in the United States, including: a brief history of insurance and healthcare in the US, the Affordable Care Act, and legislative and policy tools to encourage the Triple Aim +1 (the experience of the individual, the health of a population, and the per capita cost for the population).
BILLY BIRDZELL ,
founding member of Marine Corps special operations, led a workshop titled, "The Last Mile: Effective Strategy Requires Tactical Reality." Birdzell contended that military interventions have taken longer, cost more, and failed to achieve their desired results since the end of World War II. As the War on Terror enters its 18th year, Birdzell urged the need for policymakers to develop a deeper understanding of military tactics so that they can make better decisions about when and how to use force in order to accomplish policy objectives.
VIVIAN GRAUBARD, director of strategy at Public Interest Technology, discussed how to apply privatesector tools to public problem solving. Graubard stated that the private-sector—from Amazon to Zelle—has created many approaches to problem solving in order to deliver the high-quality services people have come to expect and rely on. She articulated how we can use these approaches, responsibly, to tackle big public problems such as housing, foster children, and preparing for natural disasters. Graubard also talked about methods of delivering better public services while being mindful of people’s privacy. The interactive workshop also provided examples of problem solving processes from the public sector. publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 17
CAN A LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION SURVIVE THE BURNOUT CULTURE? Margarita Mooney, associate professor at Princeton University and founder of the SCALA Foundation, discussed the future of a liberal arts education in January. Mooney focused her lecture at the Pepperdine West Los Angeles campus on the role that educational organizations play in preparing their students for graduation. Mooney shared that during her time living with students on campus, she realized many students were struggling to find themselves and their place in the world. In her estimation, universities were not always doing all that they should to support the growth and well-being of their students. She noticed that students had a hard time experiencing happiness when the successes defined by outside factors were used to measure their worth. This, according to Mooney, is the burnout culture that educators must combat. Mooney argued that universities need to not only stand by their mission of guiding students to the truth, but they must also be willing to serve the student as a whole person. It was this conviction that led Mooney to think critically about what constituted a well-rounded liberal arts education, which eventually led to the creation of the SCALA Foundation. SCALA focuses on tradition, human freedom, transformative educational experiences, and hospitality grounded in charity in order to provide a holistic, person-centric approach to a liberal arts education. In her program, Mooney takes undergraduate students to Europe in order to expand
their horizons and challenge them as a whole person; she emphasized that the SCALA approach can still be applied at universities all across the nation. Mooney’s version of a liberal arts education encourages students to try things they are not necessarily good at in order to help them discover themselves as a whole person. The traditional college education has “elevated one form of knowing over all often forms,” Mooney said. In the future, universities need to adapt to the changing culture and work to develop the student’s sense of his or her place in the world. Watch the video at: publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/events/2019/ liberal-arts-education.htm
DEMYSTIFYING SCHOLARLY PUBLISHING WORKSHOP The School of Public Policy (SPP) invited Stephen Wrinn, director of the University of Notre Dame Press, to host a "Demystifying Scholarly Publishing" workshop. Wrinn began his career in commercial publishing and later transitioned into academic publishing, where he spent some time at the University Press of Kentucky before moving to his current position at Notre Dame. Ted McAllister, Edward L. Gaylord Chair at SPP, and longtime friend of Wrinn, introduced the speaker.
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Wrinn shared that the academic publishing industry is a challenging business. For the most part, he said, academic publishing is not profitable, even though “the seller determines the cost of doing business.” He explained that it costs a publisher an average of $15,000 to $20,000 to publish a book, while successful books sell only around 250 copies. Because sellers and distributors often demand a 50 percent discount off the list price from the publisher (with Amazon the worst offender in this respect), financial success is the exception rather than the rule. Wrinn offered academicians a few tips for finding a publisher in this difficult environment, and he emphasized the importance of writing on a broad topic. Subject matter with a wide appeal, enhancing the likelihood of greater sales, is a critical factor in finding a publisher. Publishers were not likely to invest in highly specialized texts.
SPP Hosts Greater Los Angeles Federal Executive Board’s
YOUNG LEADERS IN GOVERNMENT CONFERENCE Just days before the national midterm elections, the School of Public Policy hosted the Young Leaders in Government conference to engage with Pepperdine students and faculty, along with members of surrounding communities. Civic leaders filled the auditorium from all levels of government— local elected leaders, federal agency staff members, and a half-dozen consul generals. Pete Peterson, dean of SPP, noted the broad scope of existing opportunities that await those interested in civic service at the local, state, national, or international levels. Ashley Trim Labosier (MPP ’09), executive director of the Davenport Institute, led the first discussion with Alicia Weintraub (MPP ’02), a councilmember with the neighboring city of Calabasas. Weintraub reflected on her journey to public office as the youngest city councilwoman in her city. She stressed the importance of mutual support among her colleagues and staff to help solve key issues involving public safety, land use, and housing. The second panel was led by Christina Hernandez, the regional director of the Office of Foreign Missions within the United States Department of State. The insightful discussion centered on the experiences of four women engaged in foreign service, each respectively serving as
a consul general from Australia, Egypt, Lebanon, and Sri Lanka. Chelsey Martin, a 14-year veteran of foreign service, represented the bilateral relationship between Australia and the United States. She noted the difficulties in leaving behind family, friends, and culture while working abroad and at the United Nations. However, she echoed the sentiments of the entire panel by encouraging more women in the room to work hard and pursue similar career paths. The other three participants—Lamia Mekhemar from Egypt, Mirna Khawly from Lebanon, and Swarna Gunartne from Sri Lanka—also reflected on their diverse experiences, including initiating educational programs in developing nations, leading peacekeeping missions during regional and global conflicts, and restoring human rights standards in Geneva. The conference concluded with panelists from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Small Business Administration, US Department of State, FBI, and the US Army. All participants discussed their unique experiences in handling issues of national import, such as domestic crises like a hurricane or threats abroad. The dynamic panelist lineup sparked interesting dialogue and represented a unique opportunity to hear from leaders across spheres of government service, each driven by a common desire to make a positive difference.
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SPP and City of Santa Monica Cohost
MAPPING THE FUTURE: LEADERSHIP IN SEARCH OF A SENSE OF PLACE The School of Public Policy’s project for cross-sector leadership and the City of Santa Monica partnered in a public discussion entitled, “Mapping the Future: Leadership in Search of a Sense of Place." Participants had the unique opportunity to hear from two distinguished experts in the field of public leadership, Kate Coleman, the former executive vice president and chief strategy and advancement officer for the YMCA and Harvard Advanced Leadership Fellow, and Stephen Goldsmith, the Daniel Paul professor of the practice of government at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Coleman and Goldsmith are currently co-researching innovative approaches to solving complex policy problems within city, county, state, and federal sectors of government.
issues are often multifaceted and exceed the capacity of any one organization. She noted that leaders are at a Kuhnian moment within the space of cross-sector collaboration due to exciting digital breakthroughs.
The dialogue highlighted new methodologies in equipping civic leaders to create social value across contrasting policy domains. Coleman engaged with the audience on the theoretical origins of their research, including the reality that policies
Goldsmith supplemented the theoretical components and highlighted his experience as the former deputy mayor of New York City and 46th mayor of Indianapolis. The participatory ideation he developed within these roles drove Goldsmith
Stephen Goldsmith, Kate Coleman, Pete Peterson, Anuj Gupta, and Rick Cole
to identify creative and inclusive platforms in better engaging with community members, noting that the city of Santa Monica accomplishes this goal exceedingly well. Coleman and Goldsmith expressed confidence in their holistic approach, which could shift meaningful decision-making power to local residents across the nation. Watch the video at: publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/ events/2019/mapping-the-future.htm
SPP and Seaver College’s Waves Debate Cohost iDebate Rwanda In September the Pepperdine Seaver College debate team, Waves Debate, invited the School of Public Policy (SPP) to cohost an event entitled, “iDebate Rwanda—East-African Perspectives on United States Politics.” The visiting iDebate Rwanda team lead a panel discussion on the state of US politics. The panel featured two speakers from iDebate Rwanda, Jean Michel Habineza and Jean Kariuki, as well as Jim Gash, president-elect of the University and professor of law at the Pepperdine School of Law, and Pete Peterson, dean of SPP. The discussion touched upon the state of our political discourse (and dysfunction) in general; recent trends in rhetoric and debate; and issues surrounding freedom of speech, intellectual freedom, and identity politics. Peterson discussed the resurgence of populist rhetoric and differences between healthy and toxic nationalism. An inclusive nationalism, he argued, can provide a unifying framework for a nation but an ethnically or racially driven form of identity can destroy solidarity and deepen division. 20 | School of Public Policy Dean’s Report
The Rwandans reflected on the 1994 genocide and the subsequent transition to focusing on Rwandan as the dominate identity of their people; they reminded us that it can be challenging to shift identity when things like ethnicity are tied to the trauma of one’s past. Americans tend to have a highly individualistic nature whereas Rwandans have a community-oriented worldview. Gash commented that even if two countries share comparable political issues, their approaches to solutions will be radically different, depending on whether they consider the person or the group to be the primary unit of society. The Rwandans suggested that much of their success can be attributed to a shared Christian worldview, and that without faith there would be no reconciliation. Additionally, Gash and Peterson emphasized the effects of leadership on a nation’s direction and how the rhetoric of a leader can lead to either stronger solidarity or increased polarization.
SPP Celebrates Constitution Day with Lecture on
“MAKING FREEDOM LAST: THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN SUSTAINING OUR REPUBLIC” On September 18, 2018, the School of Public Policy celebrated Constitution Day with its annual Constitution Day lecture. The day commemorates the formation and signing of the United States Constitution on September 17, 1787. William E. Simon, cochairman of the William E. Simon Foundation and economics professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, provided a lecture to the Pepperdine community entitled, “Making Freedom Last: The Role of Religion in Sustaining Our Republic,” which provided an understanding of three key issues critical to our founding fathers: winning freedom, ordering freedom, and sustaining freedom. In support, Simon explained the “eternal triangle of first principles”—a foundation to sustaining freedom, with each principle requiring the other. The first principle, liberty, having freedom and requiring virtue; the second principle, virtue, requiring religion to do what we ought; and lastly the third principle, religion, requiring liberty for its practice. Simon highlighted the central importance of religious liberty to America's founding. Watch the video at: publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/events/2018/constitution-day.htm
LITTLE PINK HOUSE MOVIE SCREENING In February the School of Public Policy hosted a screening of the award-winning feature film Little Pink House. The screening was followed by a discussion and Q and A about the purpose and meaning behind the film with director Courtney Moorehead Balaker and producer Ted Balaker. The director said that her intention was to “make important ideas entertaining,” and she succeeded. With Catherine Keener in the lead role, the film’s entertainment value is strong, but this quality is undoubtedly overshadowed by its purposes as policy commentary and call to action. It depicts the now famous eminent domain case Kelo v. City of New London, which was decided by the US Supreme Court in 2005. In this case, Susette Kelo’s beautifully restored waterfront home in the City of New London, Connecticut, was condemned to make space for an industrial development complex. The taking was the result of a governor’s efforts to save a dwindling city through the establishment of a land development project that ultimately fell through. The film powerfully tells the story through the eyes of Kelo and Wells, the CEO of the development business. Little Pink House is a cautionary tale of the way in which the government can abuse its power of eminent domain, shedding light on a public policy that receives little attention but which can have a dramatic impact on individual lives.
Evening Conversation with
TIM CARNEY ON ALIENATED AMERICA On February 20, The Trinity Forum and the School of Public Policy's American Project cohosted an evening conversation with author Tim Carney on the release of his new book, Alienated America: Why Some Places Thrive While Others Collapse, with a response from Anne Snyder, senior fellow at The Trinity Forum. This fascinating discussion examined Carney’s contention that our social fabric is increasingly riven not only by economic strains, but also by the weakening of the moral, religious, and social institutions that help form and reform individual and civic character. Watch the video at: youtu.be/5qiCBKzGY58
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DEAN PETE PETERSON SPEAKS ON VIEWPOINT DIVERSITY Pete Peterson, dean of the Pepperdine School of Public Policy (SPP), spoke on the growing viewpoint diversity movement on America's college campuses at the Liberty Forum of Silicon Valley in Mountain View. Over the past several years, SPP has taken a growing interest in viewpoint diversity—the concept that college students benefit not only from greater ethnic and racial diversity in student bodies and faculties, but also from exposure to differing political views. A growing body of research shows that America's colleges and universities are some of the most partisan places in the country, raising
important questions regarding basic freedom of speech and the veracity of social science research. In his talk, Peterson highlighted a number of recent studies of professors and students to outline the scope of the challenge, and he set forth some practical steps students and alumni can take to encourage more inclusive classrooms and campuses. Peterson believes that American higher education is one of the country's most important institutions, but it is doing a poor job of preparing citizens to do the hard work of engaging those with different opinions.
California to Capitol Hill Conversation Series:
GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED ENTERPRISE (GSE) REFORM The School of Public Policy continued its California to Capitol Hill Conversation Series at the Pepperdine Washington, DC, campus for an event titled, "GSE Reform: Will 2019 Finally Mean an End to the Conservatorship?" Ten years since the housing market collapse and historic financial crisis, comprehensive housing finance reform remains at an impasse in Washington. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the government-sponsored enterprises that anchor the secondary mortgage market, continue to operate in government-run conservatorship. But could this year be the year policymakers address this last piece of unfinished business from the crisis? There is growing bipartisan support for ending the conservatorship of the GSEs, and for rebuilding a capital base that would protect taxpayers from future bailouts. With Mark Calabria, Vice President Mike Pence's chief economist, tapped by the Trump administration to serve as the new director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the GSEs’ conservator has new leadership. Now it's up to policymakers to decide on a path forward.
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SPP Hosts
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC TECHNOLOGY ROUNDTABLE The School of Public Policy welcomed more than two dozen government technology leaders and activists to the Pepperdine West Los Angeles campus to consider opportunities to support Governor Newsom's proposed Office of Digital Innovation. Leaders from several cities and the state government discussed ways the office can better connect with local initiatives. The roundtable discussion built upon the proposal Jennifer Palka, founder and executive director at Code for America, laid out to California’s next governor providing a high-level overview for improving digital government in California and beyond. Building from that great starting point, this roundtable dialogue developed commitments from participants to take action to accelerate the implementation of public technology in California. The roundtable collaborated and welcomed diverse perspectives on how California might lead the world in public technology that supports honest and effective government.
Professional Certificate in Advanced Public Engagement for Local Government
Three-Day Intensive Workshop for Local Government Practitioners
Course Topics Include: • Why Public Engagement? Why Now? • Getting Engagement Right from the Start • Leading-Edge Techniques • Engaging Marginalized Communities • The Role of Technology in Public Engagement • Facilitating Difficult Conversations • Leading Public Engagement from Where You Are
In an age when trust in government (and indeed all institutions for that matter) is at an all-time low, the very future of local representative democracy requires leaders with a new skill–the ability to break through cynicism and mistrust to directly engage residents in local policy.
When and Where The institute offers summer and winter sessions at the Pepperdine Malibu Campus. Upcoming Workshop: Winter: February 7–9, 2020
Program Costs The cost of the professional certificate is $1,990, which includes instruction, materials, and meals. Many participants secure funds for training from their employer to support their participation in this program. Limited financial aid may be available.
Thanks to American Planning Association (APA) Los Angeles for serving as a promotional partner of our professional certificate.
For More Information: Ashley Trim Labosier Executive Director, Davenport Institute ashley.labosier@pepperdine.edu publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/certificate-public-engagement 310.506.6878 publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu | 23
PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY School of Public Policy 24255 Pacific Coast Highway Malibu, CA 90263-4494
PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY
MEMBERS
William S. Mortensen
Viggo Butler (MBA ’80)
Gary Oakland
Rod Campbell
Stephen Olson (MBA ’73)
Pete Peterson Dean
Frank Cornell
Jason Pates (’95, MPP ’99)
Babette J. Donaldson
James Piereson
James R. Wilburn Dean Emeritus
Peggy Grande
Ronald Plotkin
Cynthia Guerrero (MPP ’04)
Gary Polson
BOARD OF ADVISORS
Jay Hoffman
Walter Poser
Glen Holden
James Puckett
Joseph Czyzyk Chair
Tina Marie Ito
Kevin Richardson (JD ’82)
Colene Johnson (’68)
Margaret Sheppard
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Jeffrey Jones (MPP ’02)
Keith Tobias
Jonathan Kemp (’94, MBA ’07) Robert Virtue Cathryn Kingsbury (’97, MPP ’99) Carol Wallace Donald R. Knabe
Charity Wallace (’97)
Ernest M. Maldonado (’76, MPA ’80)
Michael Y. Warder
Steve Forbes Robert Hertzberg
Seiji Masuda
Johnny Zamrzla
DEAN’S REPORT EDITORIAL TEAM
Ed Feulner
EDITOR: Jaclyn Ramirez
COPY EDITORS: Sheryl Covey Amanda Pisani
PeppConnect. Pepperdine alumni, faculty, staff, and parents: expand your professional network, advance your goals, and give back through this virtual networking community.
Barry L. Wolfe
WRITERS: Carson Bruno (MPP ’12), Matt Cutler, Shelby Dewberry, Currie Dickerson (MPP '19), Yesica Goblirsch, Danielle Harrington, Ashley Trim Labosier (MPP ’09), Pete Peterson (MPP ’07), Andrew Phillips (MPP '19), Emily Pobuda (MPP '19), Jaclyn Ramirez, Christopher Rodgers ('18), and Spencer Roush
UPCOMING EVENTS For more information and additional events, visit publicpolicy.pepperdine.edu/events PP1901400
William S. Banowsky (In Memoriam)
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