The start of the fall 2013 semester at Bakersfield College has come with several administrative personnel changes, including a partial restructuring and centralization of several student service positions.

Amongst this reorganization is the removal of the dean of students position, which was formerly held by Joyce Coleman.

The director of student life has replaced the position, which is now held for the interim by Don Low, a retired dean of counseling at Orange Coast College.

Low has over twenty-five years of college administrative experience, including various interim position held since his retirement several years ago.  “I’ve served in a dozen colleges, from periods of anywhere from six months to a year.”

Zav Dadabhoy, vice president of student services, believes this change is for the better. “Typically a dean of students position would be in charge of many different programs that have staff within them. To have a dean of students position in an office that is as small as ours wouldn’t make sense.”

The director of student life will share many similarities with the old dean of students position, but with a few changes to the programs and organizations that it oversees. The student government association, student clubs, student conduct and affairs, for instance, will be under the director, while the health and wellness center will now have its own independent director.

Another personnel change was caused by the resignation of Ryan Beckwith as athletic director back in August, who has been replaced by Sandi Taylor as an interim athletic director.

Taylor has been the associate athletic director for 17 years and has coached softball for more than 23 years at BC.

“Sandi has been here for years and years,” said Dadabhoy. “She has also served for many years as the associate athletic director, and in that capacity she is a natural to move up to the next level.”

“She has administrative experience, she knows how the athletic department runs, she knows all the players, and knows all the history. When she was willing to step up and take on that leadership role I was very thrilled,” he added.

While clearly impressed with her job thus far, Dadabhoy acknowledges that it is still too early to say whether or not this will be a permanent position for Taylor, or when the administration will decide to look for a different full time athletic director.