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Sacrificing to Serve Students Round-the-Clock

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Mynor Rivera and Colin Scott (University Housing and Dining) at Jester Residence Hall

Note: The Division of Student Affairs went above and beyond to support students during the recent winter storm and the university’s multi-day closure. It would take a novel to share all of the heroic and selfless stories of our dedicated staff. This story is just one that illustrates their endurance and devotion.

While snow and ice blanketed Texas outside, the University Housing and Dining team was hard at work taking care of students in the university’s on-campus residence halls, apartments and dining halls. Their teamwork and stories of excellence are manifold – first responding to the winter weather emergency, next to water leaks and pressure issues, then dealing with the City of Austin’s boil water notice. 

Calling on previous experiences in Michigan and Chicago, Director of Dining Operations Mynor Rivera and Senior Director of Dining and Catering Erich Geiger knew to plan for the historic winter storms. They received a large food order Feb. 13 before the storm hit, but when distributors said they would not be able to deliver in-demand staples mid-week, Rivera took matters into his own hands.

He jumped in his pickup truck and asked Catering Manager Colin Scott to follow him in the department’s refrigerated commercial truck. They headed down Interstate 35 to the supplier’s warehouse in Buda and loaded up 150 cases of essentials and student favorites like french fries, pizza dough and eggs, as well as to-go containers and other paper supplies. “The most important thing to me is to satisfy my students on a daily basis. It’s not just a job for me, it’s what I can I put on their plate daily. We put together a lot of good menus. It’s a commitment for me and my team,” explained Rivera.

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University Housing and Dining Resident Assistants Caden Jackson, Tess Gooselink, Carter Scheer and Claire Tichy in J2 Dining

The entire dining team showed this commitment and sacrifice throughout the multi-day closure. With hazardous driving conditions on the roads, 15 team members stayed on campus Sunday-Thursday to serve hot meals to students. This “Ice Team” was also dedicated to filling the plates of more than 1,130 non-resident students in need who sought a hot meal and place to warm up. They dealt with the unexpected too, hauling food up three flights of stairs when the Jester kitchen’s freight elevator went out of service. And it wasn’t just staff who stepped up – an army of 171 resident assistants took on additional dining shifts, and College of Fine Arts Professor Charlotte Canning and her husband Fritz volunteered. And so did College of Education Dean Charles Martinez and several members of his college leadership team and their partners.

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Deborah O’Donnell (University Housing and Dining) with College of Education Dean Charles Martinez in J2 Dining

“We were so impressed by the dedication and nimbleness of University Housing and Dining staff to serve our incredible UT Austin students. Glad to lend a hand…and I learned the practical skill of managing a student dining nacho bar!” shared Martinez.

Meanwhile, Director of Residential Facilities Don Ates dispatched his maintenance and building services troops. They were busy de-icing sidewalks, repairing and containing water leaks, and adjusting water pressure. Amidst the quick storm response, they also kept the halls in tip-top shape for thousands of snowed-in residents.

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(Left to Right) Jesse Torres, Gabino J. Zarate, Jr., Roque Valdes Fuentes, Norma Bustos, Maria Ruffino, Florentino Lopez-River, Gerhard Vajgert, Abel Perez and Peter Scislo (University Housing and Dining)

This crew stayed on campus, away from their families and homes, to serve our students. Building Attendants Jesse Torres, Abel Perez and Norma Bustos worked ‘round the clock. Torres de-iced the San Jacinto Residence Hall sidewalks at 3 a.m. to ensure safe access to the warming center in the multi-purpose room. Perez and Bustos remained on campus while pipes burst in their own homes. Bustos only rushed home briefly to pay the plumber, then headed right back to work. Technicians Leopoldo Flores, Charles McDonald and Gert Vajgert were available 24/7 for maintenance and repairs. 

“We appreciate their loyalty and selflessness. It’s priceless. I don’t forget their stories. Every individual went above and beyond. They were tired, but so resilient and didn’t want to give up. Time after time, staff member after staff member, they did the right thing,” expressed Ates. 

Throughout this closure, the halls didn’t skip a beat thanks to Occupational and Environmental Safety Specialist Mark Weiss. During the city’s widespread water issues, he received Environmental Health and Safety approval to continue operating the dining halls after securing large containers to move clean water for cooking from Jester kitchen to Kins Dining. Also keeping the halls humming, four assistant directors, 14 complex coordinators, six assistant complex coordinators and 10 community assistants supported residents and dispatched resident assistants. 

These heroic staff stories of compassion and heart reached dozens of Longhorn parents and families. The Texas Parents office fielded calls and emails from dozens of parents and families. They shared critical university updates and resources, and reassured them that their students living in the on-campus residence halls were in good hands. 

And even though the snow and ice from these historic storms have melted away, the University Housing and Dining team is already planning ahead for next time. They’re continuously improving and strategizing how to better serve students who call the Forty Acres home.

Check out these additional heartwarming stories related to the historic winter storms: find out how the Division quickly initiated on-campus warming centers and bottled water distribution sites; awarded thousands of dollars in emergency support to students in need; pivoted operations for services, including Proactive Community Testing and COVID-19 vaccine operations; and launched the Texas Tough fundraising campaign with UT Austin and Texas A&M student government presidents.

University Housing and Dining Division of Student Affairs Texas Parents UT Austin The University of Texas at Austin College of Education College of Fine Arts