Spend five minutes with Le’Trice Curl and one fact clearly emerges: She’s confident that she has the best job on campus. As director of
student lifeand
judicial affairs, it’s Curl’s job to help students become good citizens.
“I love that I get to work with students and be integrated with them in their interests, whether that’s
clubleadership or
volunteerism,” Curl said.
Though some might consider judicial affairs a chore, Curl said enforcing the
university’s policiescan be the most rewarding aspect of her job.
“It’s our role to help them become the best version of themselves possible,” she said. “Part of that is showing them how much they have to gain when they make good choices, or how much they stand to lose (their education and opportunities) by making poor decisions.”
Some of those consequences may include community service, counseling services or researching the effects of their offense. In extreme cases, suspension or expulsion may occur. The goal of the process, Curl said, is to make sure students learn from the experience and don’t keep making the same mistakes over and over again.
“It’s about getting students to stop and think about their actions and the possible impacts of those actions on more than one occasion in a variety of circumstances.” She added, “The university experience is not a four-year free pass to go crazy; college is a place to learn, grow and have fun, but it’s also an opportunity to become a productive member of the community and society at large.”
A first-generation college student, Curl earned her bachelor’s degree from UC Berkeley. She went on to get a master’s degree from Colorado State and plans to pursue a doctorate, though she’s still mulling her options.
“I learned so much in college that taught me how to be a productive adult,” she said, “and I feel like student affairs gives me the unique opportunity to pass on that knowledge.”
The unique opportunity is what led the Stockton native to leave a nine-year career in UC Irvine’s
residence lifedepartment in 2005 to return to the Valley and join the UC Merced staff. The university’s intimate setting has been a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of Southern California.
“At large campuses, it’s easy to get caught up in your work, which takes you away from the students your decisions affect,” Curl said. “I need daily interaction with students; their energy is what feeds me.” Curl said.
