After the firing of a Saxon Suites resident assistant, residents are looking for explanations for his departure.
Jose Manaiza, a third-year economics student and former Saxon E-building RA, was released from his position in early March.
Manaiza said in late February he was reprimanded for an incident involving shift coverage. Days later, he was fired, he said, without being given explanation.
Robert Naples, assistant vice chancellor of student affairs and dean of students, said he would not comment on specific cases due to privacy issues. In a statement, however, he said Manaiza was notified of the reasons for his release.
“The authority to remove an RA generally lies within the resident director in consultation with (the Office of Residential Life),” Naples added.
Manaiza said during his appointment, he was subjected to what he described as harassment from his supervisor while employed because he is a minority.
He said he has kept records of multiple incidents in the fall when his supervisors allegedly treated him unfairly and made racist comments toward him.
When he filed a formal complaint with the ORL, officials did not take any action, Manaiza said.
He added that after he filed a complaint with the chancellor’s office, ORL officials intimidated him and threatened to fire him.
“They negatively criticized my character … I’m a student, I’m a human being,” he said.
Though Naples would not discuss Manaiza’s case, he said “complaints are addressed on an individual basis … departments have to investigate when any employee files a complaint against another employee.”
“ORL conducts thorough reviews of concerns or accusations of this nature, and in the recent allegations have not found any evidence of unfair or discriminatory treatment,” he said in a statement.
When Saxon student leaders attempted to arrange a meeting with ORL officials on Manaiza’s behalf, no officials appeared, Manaiza said.
He appealed ORL’s decision, but it was denied.
Manaiza is set to meet with university officials to discuss his allegations and said he is hopeful that he will be allowed to return as an RA in Saxon for the remainder of the academic year.
He added that he also hopes to be rehired for the 2007-2008 academic year.
“I think the administrators will do something about it,” he said.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, Manaiza said he is not currently considering taking legal action against the university.
Naples said he was unaware of any situations where RAs were allowed to return after being terminated.
The RA position is a “casual/restricted appointment,” which means that a student employee may be released from a work relationship with the university at any time, with some limitations, according to University of California personnel policies.
Though there has been a new RA assigned to the Saxon E building, students have created online petitions in support of Manaiza.
Nima Ghazai, a UCLA alumnus, started a Facebook group after hearing that Manaiza’s appeal had been denied.
“I heard Jose got fired and I was shocked. … I wanted to do my part to help spread the word and mobilizing people,” he said.
Ghazai said he believes that even though RAs are employed at will, ORL should be accountable and offer him the opportunity for him to return to his job.