Joseph Lynch, Managing Editor
The Newman Hall Residence Director, Horacio Gonzalez is no longer employed by Benedictine College as of the first of October. Meanwhile, the Newman RA’s deal with the transition period as they await the hiring of a new director.
According to Dr. Linda Henry, the Vice President of Student Life, the Student Life Office cannot comment on the nature of Gonzalez’s dismissal due to the personal nature of the situation.
The resident assistants were informed soon after the decision was made and Gonzalez also met with them before he left.
“It was kind of an overwhelming day,” said Joseph Schopp, a senior and an RA in Newman Hall. “But I think it was all done pretty professionally.”
Schopp and Joshua Skubal, a sophomore and an RA in Newman as well, were working all week with the rest of the hall staff to prepare for their hall’s Alcohol Free Event, which was held last Friday. The event, called “Spookin’ Boomin’ in Newman,” was a haunted-themed costume and dance party held in the dorm.
Standing amid lights, chords and decorations for the event in the Newman lounge, Schopp and Skubal explained that they were given permission to postpone the event due to the sudden dismissal of their RD. However, the RA’s chose to go ahead with it anyway.
“It was poor timing,” Schopp said.
Yet Schopp and Skubal agreed that the work it required to put together an event almost entirely on their own was kind of a bonding moment for the RA’s.
“Even though it’s like a horrible situation that we’re in, but yeah, I think we have grown closer together as a staff,” Skubal said.
Despite doing most of the planning on their own, the RA’s in Newman are receiving some help from the rest of the Residence Life staff as well.
According to Skubal, RA’s and RD’s from many of the other dorms have supported Newman in the last few days by reaching out and asking what they need.
Meanwhile, Dr. Linda Henry said that Residence Life is looking to hire a new residence director for Newman as soon as possible. Until then, the RD on call will handle any emergencies.
Going forward, the RA’s in Newman will be planning for homecoming week, again largely by working with each other.
“For right now, we’re giving this [Alcohol Free Event] 100 percent and we’re planning on giving homecoming 100 percent,” Skubal said. “So we’ll see. It’ll be fun, it’ll be fun for sure.”
