Former director said she left post for lack of job security
The Veterans Success Center has had a new director, Maria Cruz, since Sept. 4.
Veterans use the center to transition to student and civilian life.
Under the leadership of the former director, the center earned many distinctions including commendations from the White House and Community College Chancellor’s Office and the “Military Friendly” title from Victory media eight years in a row in 2017.
The college’s reputation among veterans is frequently touted at Board of Trustees meetings and in college promotional literature.
When former director Dr. Monica Christianson left her post, some student veterans were devastated. They voiced their frustration at a board of trustees meeting on June 19.
A marine combat veteran who served for 12 years, Juan Quino said Christianson calmed veterans considering suicide.
“When we were reaching for the bottle and the gun, she was there to help us out,” Quino said.
Former Marine Sgt. Thomas Martinez criticized the college for losing “a valuable asset.”
“I am personally disappointed in the inaction, the lack of leadership, the lack of gumption the board of trustees has demonstrated,” Martinez said. “They did not have the the courage to offer Dr. Monica Christianson a permanent, full-time position with benefits — whose reputation is incomparable at other college veterans centers.”
After 11 years at the college and seven as director, Christianson said she told her employer she “is no longer accepting a temporary position.”
When a full-time offer never came, Christianson said she “saw the writing on the wall.”
She said her work required attending to student needs seven days per week, and she could not go on without job security.
“It takes time to forge a relationship,” Christianson said. “You have to really be in the trenches with them. So I put in tireless hours. You never hear, ‘Great job Monica’ for all you do.”
A student veteran who asked not to be named said Christianson is still helping. In tears, the veteran said she wanted Monica back.
“It’s just confusing, you know,” the student veteran said. “I went in the center and it was empty and the lady that was there told me I would have to wait and to email her.”
The veteran said she contacted Christianson who helped her find veteran financing for a high credit card bill.
Several veterans contacted the Clarion to say the transition to a center without Christianson has been difficult.
“There’s a void,” Martinez said. “Morale has been sapped and there’s disappointment in campus leadership.”
Christianson’s former boss, dean of students, Maryann Tolano-Leveque said she has not heard any complaints about the center this semester.
Tolano-Leveque was working with the new director, Maria Cruz, to distribute groceries for the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank on Sept. 24 in the Campus Center Mall.
“I am delighted with the new vet center director,” Tolano-Leveque said. “She has been doing an outstanding job. If anything, we’re making improvements in the center — a bulletin board and large screen monitors.”
A licensed marriage and family therapist and former Naval petty officer, Cruz said she welcomes any veteran students in need.
“My doors are always open to talk to somebody in crisis,” Cruz said.
Tolano-Leveque said Citrus will continue to have “an incredibly supportive Veterans Success Center and supportive community.”
“Our goal is to just keep the college running, keep the veterans success center running and keep our students kind of progressing towards their academic success,” Tolano-Leveque said.
