Reymundo Padron, night operations manager and UT employee since 2005, was let go Oct. 6 for unknown reasons.

Following Padron’s release, Devin Guthrie, psychology junior and president of the Quad Resident Hall Council, created a Facebook event to provide a platform “for people to both contact Rey, offering their condolences and support, and express their dissatisfaction or opinions on the situation.”

Mylon Kirksy, director of resident life in the Department of Housing and Food Service, refused to comment on the details of Padron’s unemployment.

Guthrie said his understanding is that Padron’s unemployment came at the end of a six-month probationary period after being promoted from night desk supervisor.

“It was done without warning and without any backup plan,” Guthrie said. “It created a lot of chaos within night staff.”

Guthrie said he believes DHFS is still struggling without a night operations manager.

“Having weaker overhead supervision creates holes in the system of securing the residence halls that aren’t good,” Guthrie said. “It was especially bad the first week, and since they are still assessing the situation, there remains [sic] things that are definitely problematic.”
With a staff of 35 members, adjustments will be made to compensate for his absence, Kirksy said.

“Even in the absence of the area manager position, there is a plan,” Kirksy said. “The plan is being implemented, and all of the things that were happening are happening, and they are continuing to happen.”

Kirksy said Padron’s absence is providing the department with a chance to assess the position and see if it is adequately serving the University.

“I don’t think it would benefit anyone if we rushed back into immediately hiring someone without really understanding what it is that position was designed to do and what we want to ultimately accomplish at the end with our operation,” Kirksy said.

Kirksy said while at the University, Padron worked to build the community with residents.

“There’s no denying that, throughout the entire time that Rey worked at the University, he made outstanding connections with individuals, and I believe that individuals will most likely miss that aspect of their connection with him,” Kirksy said.

Aarti Bhat, Plan II and human development and family sciences sophomore and a member of the Quad Residence Hall Council, said Padron cared about all the residents.

“He was just always a friendly face behind the desk,” Bhat said. “No matter how rough of a day or night you had or were going to have because of copious amounts of neglected homework, it was always great to see Rey and hear all the stories he had to tell.”