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Pepperdine University students shelter in place in the Payson Library during the early morning of Tuesday, Dec. 10, as the Franklin fire threatens campus. The university lost power late Monday night and students were released from the shelter in place around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday. All in-person final exams starting Tuesday have been canceled.
Elizabeth Smith/Pepperdine Graphic
Following a six-hour lockdown on campus due to a wildfire threat, Pepperdine University administrators canceled final exams for Tuesday, Dec. 10, and all in-person exams for the days following. Faculty members are charged with providing their classes with information about the end of the semester, according to the university’s X account.
“The safety and security of our students, faculty, and staff remain our highest priorities, and we will do everything in our power to continue to support them in the days ahead,” Pepperdine University president Jim Gash shared in a message to community members.
The Franklin fire broke out in Malibu, Calif., around 10:45 p.m. Monday, forcing thousands to evacuate the area, according to CBS News. The fire was estimated to cover 2,713 acres as of Tuesday afternoon PST, and the cause remains unclear.
The campus lost power around 11 p.m. Monday, with only some buildings continuing to operate on generator power, including the library and student center, which includes the dining hall. Administrators issued a shelter-in-place order at 1:11 a.m. PST on Tuesday, which was lifted at 7:28 a.m. that same day, and students, faculty and staff are allowed to stay on campus for the time being.
The university reported little damage to campus structures and no reports of injuries among students, faculty or staff.
Professors in the undergraduate college will be given until noon on Dec. 19 to submit final grades, and deans are encouraging faculty to give students the opportunity to take their current grade in the class in lieu of a final exam. For students who need or want to complete a final, it will be offered remotely prior to Dec. 19 or as an alternative assignment.
“Unfortunately, we are not unfamiliar with having to manage disruptions. Sometimes it’s COVID, sometimes it’s a wildfire, sometimes it’s gun violence,” said Elizabeth Smith, a journalism professor at Pepperdine who resides on campus. “We have become much more accustomed than I ever thought we would be to managing disruptions.”
Faculty are acutely aware that some students will have no power or Wi-Fi as they travel home, so ensuring access and equity will be important, Smith added.
Pepperdine, which has faced several wildfire threats in recent years, has a well-established shelter-in-place protocol in which the Los Angeles County Fire Department maintains a presence on campus during a fire. The university has come under scrutiny for keeping students on campus during previous fires, but administrators stand by the decisions.
“Our campus, thoughtfully designed and maintained with fire safety in mind, has proven to be a secure place for our community during wildfires affecting the Malibu campus,” Gash said.
