Pepperdine's plan for a sewage system was stalled before the county board of supervisors, and construction would take too long for the planned opening in September 1972. It had sought a permit for a temporary system of 38 septic tanks¹ (or perhaps 26; see Banowsky),² but the plan was denied and labeled unacceptable "for any interim whatsoever."¹ Faced with this setback, Malibu provost Jerry Hudson remained confident construction would be completed in time for the campus to open.¹