Trustee removed

Published in Long Beach City College's Viking newspaper in 2006. Byline shared with Julio Salgado.

Student Trustee June Tanskul received news in a letter signed by LBCC President Jan Kehoe on Feb. 24 that she has been terminated because she failed to meet California residency requirements.
In the letter, Kehoe wrote, "Please accept my appreciation for the outstanding job that you have performed and I can assure you that this determination in no way reflects upon your conscientious performance of your duties."
In a statement from the college, released by the executive director of public affairs and marketing Chi-Chung Keung, a periodic review of Associated Student Body by-laws and the California education code revealed information regarding Tanskul's ineligibility and LBCC was forced to take necessary action.
At the Tuesday, March 7 board meeting, Tanskul's table position and seat had been removed.
Tanskul said the board knew her fate a week before she did.
"Why didn't the information come to me first?" Tanskul said. "That's why I'm upset the most. If someone could have told me first, i would have resigned. Instead, I was let go with a letter."
Tanskul also said she had presented to LBCC's human resources department, a letter criticizing manager of student life Jeri Carter before the random review of the ASB by-laws came up.
"A couple of days after human resources talked with Carter, the college was presented with the information of my ineligibility," Tanskul said. "When I ran for the position,they knew I was an international student and paid $199 per unit. It wasn't a secret."
Tanskul said she had been voted into office by students.
Carter was contacted and she declined to comment on the possible connection between both situations, but referred to the college statement released by Keung regarding Tanskul's removal.
"I'm saying what I'm instructed to say," Carter said.
Section 11 in the ASB by-laws states the student representative to the board shall serve for a one-year term to begin on June 1 in accordance with the education code.
"I only had two months left," Tanskul said.
Tanskul originally grew up in England and Thailand and has been in the U.S. since Fall 2004.
"I would like to thank Dr. Kehoe and the Board of Trustees for their support through this process," Tanskul said.
ASB Rep. of communications Jude Calvillo said, "We don't have a date for the next election and we don't have anybody to take her place."
Tanskul said she didn't want to complain about the various aspects. "I want to be the bigger person in this situation," Tanskul said. "I want to go out with dignity."