The Coronavirus has shut down all non-essential businesses and Governor Pritzker declared a stay-at-home. Being quarantined means we can’t stay in the dorms, so Saint Xavier University organized a move-out mid semester. The University is refunding housing, but we want tuition refunds as well.
Hundreds of students traveled home and to other states over spring break, so to prevent any spreading we shouldn’t return to campus. I would rather be at home during this time because I don’t want to spread or receive any germs. The University understands that we shouldn’t continue to pay for housing if we’re living at home.
On March 21, the Bursar office sent out an email informing students that the University will be making adjustments to our housing and meal plans and refunds will be processed by mid-April. This is great for residents, but the University hasn’t sent any emails about tuition refunds for in-person classes.
While classes are moving online, I don’t think it’s fair to continue paying for a full college experience when we aren’t experiencing it.
A petition created on Change.org by SXU student Gio Henandez proves that a lot of the SXU community feels the same. The petition entitled “Refund Tuition Costs for Saint Xavier University Students” was published on March 18 and has received more than 3,000 signatures since then. The petition calls for a refund for the remainder of classes for the Spring semester.
I talked to SXU students Sekoya Pelayo and Chantelle Mckinney to hear their thoughts on the petition. Pelayo stated: “I feel that the petition is needed. Our spring semester was disrupted as a result of the decision to [transition] to remote learning. Also, activities were canceled that were vital to the SXU community. Therefore, I think it’s effective because I believe … our student activities fees should be returned [at least] and part of housing since we are no longer residing on campus.”
McKinney also felt the petition was beneficial. She stated, “I think the petition will get to the administration and then that will motivate them to come up with a solution faster. I think we will get a refund of some sort because that would be the only fair decision. I’m expecting that to be taken into account by the administrators.”
The petition shows SXU faculty that their students are taking the initiative to be proactive and work with them during this time. We understand everyone is being affected, but we still want what’s fair and that’s a refund.
I don’t think the rest of the semester should be free, but SXU should make some type of price adjustments for the rest of the semester. A fair adjustment may mean something different to here students and administration, but that’s all we can ask for at the moment.
As of March 22, the petition is still receiving momentum and I hope we receive an email addressing the petition in the coming days.. For now, we wait but I think the petition will yield positive results.