"April 7th, 2020

Mr. Summerby-Murray and to All Whom are Concerned:

I am a Saint Mary’s student, currently in my first year of classes. I write you today to request that Saint Mary’s refund students a partial amount of tuition for courses. It is morally and economically unjust for the University to strip down the courses I registered and paid for with good faith that I would get a return on my investment. I do not believe the current structuring comes close to offering the same level of education.

All 3 of the courses I’m currently registered for cancelled lectures in mid March but did not offer any supplemental visual or auditory aid like video lectures. We have basically been left to fend for ourselves; I am not here to criticize the specific profs, but to have them all just dole out assignments and tell us to continue the readings and just to e-mail if we have questions is not what anyone signed up for, and is woefully short of the value of a lecture. I could have done free Khan academy courses for the same educational value.

Saint Mary’s has been well behind the ball with other schools in Halifax: being the last to close, being the last to offer pass/fail, and offering a second-rate solution for continuing classes. I appreciate that this is a difficult transition, but to expect to have your students bear all the costs in deplorable, and not what I thought this institution stood for. You have the chance to do the right thing here and own up to the mistakes and shortcomings of your initial response and set the tone for other Universities. I did not sign up for lines of credit, Government loans, and a full-time job while in school to take courses online. I am requesting that you refund 1-month worth of tuition to all students in non-distance courses, parking passes, Upasses, and any other service fees whose access that you have restricted or altered access to.

You talk about how progressive, forward thinking, and student centred the university is: don’t allow SMU to become another institution profiting passively off a pandemic and leeching that money from the students who pay your salary and keep these doors open. I commend you for taking actions to protect the the health and safety of students, but your actions from a financial and educational standpoint have only added to the mental health stress and financial insecurity of every student you are responsible for.

Thanks for your time and consideration,

Jeremy Hebb

1st year Commerce Student"

This applies to ALL students, country wide. E-mail your school administration and tell them why you don't think it's right they are offering you a lower service at the same cost.