By Liam Littlefield Skyline Student Life and Politics Correspondent 

ALPINE- During two semesters, the third floor of Lobo Village 2 on the Sul Ross-Alpine campus has been a location reserved for students to quarantine after they contract COVID-19. Since the beginning of the quarantine cycle, significant responsibility for these students’ living conditions and well-being has landed on the shoulders of the Residential Living staff.  Like much of the rest of our campus experience, the pandemic has expanded the notion of what it is to direct the student residential experience. 

On January 17, the Skyline sat down with Residential Living’s Assistant Director of Operations Jose Polio to gain a better understanding of just one of our campus’ front-line workers. Polio along with fellow Residential Living staff members Melissa Payan and Shelease Moaning have been managing the quarantine floor since the fall semester. 

Skyline: Have you had any assistance from individuals or entities outside of Residential Living?

Polio: We were lucky to have such great volunteer help from a couple of professors who chose to join us on the frontline to help our students.

Skyline: What was the most stressful point you experienced while working the quarantine floor?

Polio: The most stressful point, for myself, was once I contracted COVID and was working from home, not being able to help out while the quarantine area was at high capacity and we were severely understaffed. 

Skyline: How has working on the quarantine floor affected your mental and physical health?

Polio: Although working the quarantine floor consisted of many late nights and many, many trips up flights of stairs (great cardio and leg exercise) myself and the rest of the staff made sure to take the time we needed to rest, both physically and mentally.