UCSB Latin American and Iberian Studies Program

Interview with LAIS Student Service Manager, Carol Flores

Ms. Carol Flores is the Student Service Manager of Graduate and Undergraduate Programs for the Phelps Administrative Support Center. When she is not sewing or gardening with her family, Ms. Flores is helping LAIS faculty and others with class scheduling, cross-posting and curriculum issues! 

What do you like most about your job?

I enjoy the varied tasks and duties that my position performs.  Working with the curriculum allows me to work with all five of our departments/programs and heading Student Support Services allows me to help support both faculty and students.  Some might find it odd, but I particularly enjoy analyzing and implementing University policies and procedures.  

What has been the most rewarding part so far?

One of the most rewarding aspects of my job is to help resolve issues.  Whether the issue is related to curriculum, faculty or student matters.  I enjoy supporting my staff and working as a team to consult and help resolve complicated issues.  

Is there anything you have learned in this position you would like to share?

The most challenging aspect of my position is working with the curriculum of five different departments/programs.  This is associated with who teaches each class, if any classes will be cross-listed with other courses on campus, what the enrollment max should be and the cost associated with each class in order for us to stay on budget. The curriculum guides a lot of what we do and this includes the hiring of lecturers and graduate students and the Scheduling of Classes for our respective areas.  Above all, I love working with both undergraduate and graduate students when I have an opportunity to do so. 

Do you have any interests or hobbies you’d like to share with the LAIS community?

My primary hobby is sewing.  I can pretty much make anything from a dress, to a bathing suit, pants, replace a zipper, etc.  I love working with fabric and have a sewing machine and serger.  I’ve been teaching my adult daughters how to sew as well (Alexis is 25 and Kaleigh is 21).  The second hobby that I love to do with my husband is gardening.  We plant tomatoes, various herbs, tomatillos and have a variety of fruit trees in our backyard.