A student from Simon Fraser University has started a petition on Change.org for David Kor, the mailroom man from Shell House who is currently at risk of losing his job. SFU is moving the mailroom from Shell House to the Residence and Housing Office, and as a result, Kor would no longer be needed to serve students in this position.
In place of a mailman providing students with their parcels, the staff at the Residence and Housing Office’s front desk would assume the duty of handing students their mail.
The petition page describes the current situation in which Kor is being let go and talks about his friendliness, stating that he “has taken the experience of going to get mail and turned it into seeing an old friend that doesn’t just remember everyone’s name, but showers you with compliments and inquiries into your day with unrivaled enthusiasm.” As of March 14, the petition has garnered 2,366 signatures out of its total goal of 2,500.
In an interview with The Peak, Kor expressed sadness at being laid off and being told by his employer that he was no longer a good fit for SFU. He expressed a desire to continue to serve the students as the mailroom man, as he has done for the past 30 years, but admitted the scenario seems extremely unlikely.
However, Kor maintained a positive attitude towards the situation and expressed to his supervisor that his affection for the students would not end even if his job does. “I’m very happy I had many good days here [and] I shall have many good days in the future,” he said.
The comments below the Change.org petition are mostly written by students who have interacted with Kor at one point and are sad to see him go. One student described a time when Kor used his own credit card to help pay their UPS fee without blinking an eye. Another student recounted when Kor would relay to them news about their home country, even though he didn’t have to.
The initiator of the online petition has chosen to remain anonymous. They recently updated the site on March 14 with a notice stating that “there has been some progress in Kor’s situation.” However, they were unable to provide further details until they receive confirmation.
The notice also included a message from Kor:
“To the wonderful students that left messages of support. I am so grateful. Thank you.” – David Kor
Update: As of March 15, The Peak has been informed that Kor no longer holds the mailroom position at Shell House.
