Over 100 alumni of Pepperdine University School of Law feel Ken Starr's simultaneous roles as dean of Pepperdine School of Law and lead attorney for Prop 8 has devalued their educations. The group of alumni asked the university to issue a written statement to announce distance between itself and Starr's attachment to Prop 8.
Their upset raises a question about universities and the need to act on the involvement of educators in high-profile cases.
In a similar case at University of California, Irvine, in 2007, the founding dean of the Donald Bren School of Law, Erwin Chemerinsky, faced revocation of his hire by the UCI Chancellor Michael V. Drake, because his liberal commentaries would not benefit the university. Chemerinsky was able to lead the School of Law based on academic freedom.
According to The Malibu Times, Chermerinsky says "although I disagree with Dean Starr's position in the Prop 8 case, I admire and respect him for his involvement," and that "one role of the dean is providing a model for faculty and students. Dean Starr is doing just this by being a superb advocate."
Pepperdine University director of public relations and news, Jerry Derloshon, also feels Starr's involvement with Prop 8 is advantageous. Also from an interview with The Malibu Times, Derloshon said "I would characterize it [Starr's involvement] as a plus." He also feels Starr's "prominence as a legal scholar and highly active, professional engagement in the community is really a model of how the law school should conduct its business."
The alumni from Pepperdine School of Law wrote their opinions and signed a letter sent to Starr last week in a public group on Facebook. The Group is called "Pepperdine Law Alums in Support of Repealing Prop 8." They acknowledge Starr's right to free speech, but report the university did not put forth any effort to separate itself publicly from Starr's defense of Proposition 8 before the hearing of the California Supreme Court.
Many of the law students and alumni know that people automatically associate Pepperdine with Ken Starr, and his being pro-Prop 8, and are thus embarrassed to say they went to Pepperdine. Some feel as though the $200,000 education's value is now much lower. Some alumni have to defend themselves when questioned by friends or associates by stating they were not attending Pepperdine by the time Ken Starr became dean.
As of this past week, Derloshon said the university is "very public with the fact that Dean Starr, in his capacity as a practicing attorney, represented this case as an individual. He is not the Pepperdine spokesperson nor is he acting on behalf of the university at all."
There was also an upset by Pepperdine alumni when director of the Special Education Clinic, Richard M. Peterson, appeared in ads in support of Prop 8, with the school's name appearing as well. Pepperdine officials requested the name not appear, and it was temporarily removed. It reappeared with "For identification purposes only."
