In her first month at Bakersfield College, Juanita Chrysanthou, vice president of Student Services, handled four cases of student discipline.
Four cases in one month is a lot, she said.
“I have been told by staff that we don’t typically have two cases rolling around every two weeks,” she said.
Students who break rules as stated in the student code of conduct are subject to disciplinary action by the college.
Inappropriate actions include assault and battery and physical and verbal abuse to a student or to a college employee on campus or at a college-sponsored activity.
Before any disciplinary action is decided, students have a hearing, where they have the right to appear and state their positions.
It is her job to decide the disciplinary action.
Depending on the infraction, discipline can range from verbal warning to expulsion.
“There have been rare occasions when expulsions were recommended,” she said.
Although plagiarism does fall in to the code of conduct, Chrysanthou said she has had a few instances regarding it.
“Different schools deal with it differently,” she said. “Some of the schools that I’ve worked at it, it is considered a disciplinary act that is under the instructional area because it happens in the classroom.”
Chrysanthou said she has been working “nonstop” since she arrived at BC in March.
Chrysanthou attributes the heavy load of work to her working two full-time positions, that of dean of students and vice president of student services.
She admits transition into any new position is not easy at first, because of the learning process, but the fact that the dean of students was filled by part-time liaisons has made it more difficult.
Screening for the new dean of students has already begun and the position should be filled by July 1.
Chrysanthou hopes the transition into her new job should be comfortable by the time her husband and two children, ages 7 and 14, move to Bakersfield from Atlanta at the end of the school year.
Coming to Bakersfield from Atlanta did not worry her. Chrysanthou previously worked at Pima Community College in Tuscon, Ariz., and has become accustomed to the heat.
“Moving to Bakersfield is like homecoming. I attended Centennial High School in Compton, Calif. My mother and siblings still live in L.A.,” she said.
Chrysanthou attended Loyola Marymount University where she majored in philosophy and minored in public administration.
She also received her master’s degree from Loyola in counseling guidance and people and personnel services.
She also holds community college credentials in counseling and supervision.
She said she has many plans for BC and was thrilled to see all the construction on campus.
She mentioned being involved in redesigning Student Service centers on two different campuses.