Going steady

The Office of Student Affairs began a search for a new student conduct officer immediately after the resignation of Tim Albert on July 11. 

With more than 30 applicants on file, the application process to fill the vacancy ended Sept. 2. 

According to Miron P. Billingsley, associate vice president for the Office of Student Affairs, the university hopes to hire a conduct officer before November.

Qualifications for the position include a bachelor's degree with a preference for a post-baccalaureate degree, and three to five years experience in the area of student conduct. 

The position also requires someone who is willing and able to operate --- in Billingsley's own words --- "in the trenches."

The past four years introduced several changes to PVAMU's student code of conduct, including the implementation of the Student Conduct Board, an administrative review body that assisted in the decision making process regarding student conduct hearings, and revised policies to Prairie View's student code of conduct to include cyber-bullying and off-campus conduct.

During Albert's tenure, the Office of Student Conduct handled an average of 90-100 cases a semester, ranging from marijuana  use to sexual assault. 

Billingsley believes that the overall state of student conduct improved over the past four years because the administration emphasized student awareness of the code of conduct

Billingsley notes that while the position of student conduct officer is vacant, the Office of Student Conduct will not "miss a beat."

The responsibilities of student conduct officer will be divided between Billingsley, who has prior experience in the area of student conduct dating back to his years at Arkansas Baptist College, and student conduct associate JaWana Green.