My story is your story too. As an online graduate student in the School of Social Work at MSU, I'm burdened by a considerable yearly fee for the Recreational and Wellness Center: $340 per year, a facility we do not and cannot conveniently use. Our courses are online, often pursued from places far away from the campus. Like many online students, the Rec Center hasn't served me at all, yet my payments toward it are steadfastly requested. This extra burden couldn't come at a worse time. Like so many others, I'm currently grappling with my own financial pressures, largely due to family expenses and recent medical debt.

We, as online students, deserve consideration and fairness. This fee, while necessary for on-campus students who benefit from the Rec Center, wastes precious resources that online students could have directed to other pressing financial needs. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, 60% online students manage their studies along with economic hardship. This mirrors my situation and likely that of many others.

We call on MSU to acknowledge our grievances and eliminate the obligatory Rec Center fee for all online graduate students and graduate assistants. It's a matter of fairness, transparency, and respect for the economic realities we face. Please join our cause and sign the petition. Together, we can make a difference.