In a matter of days, the lives of the students of this university were flipped upside down due to the rising threat of COVID-19. On March 24, 2020, we were sent an email detailing certain tuition costs that would be refunded to reduce our economic hardship. While a start at cracking the problem, I believe - and you should believe - that it is simply not enough.

As consolation for losing mostly every physical service on campus, we are offered a mere fraction of what we are actually paying for - about $40 to $80 for a few key services. For some perspective, here are some example costs that are made obsolete by the crisis, but not covered sufficiently by this refund:

-Athletic Fee ($214.00), RAC Fees ($142.00), Activity Fee ($101.00), Athletic Facility Fee ($40.00)

These are just some of the costs that are essentially null now in the coming weeks of our education, and the total is already nearly $500.00. This is also neglecting other fees unmentioned by this petition which can significantly drive that number up. For those students who take out loans, or who are paying out of pocket because they just can't afford to take out that loan, this is outrageous and unfair. The refund offered for Activity, for example, is only $4.20 per student in Statesboro when the actual cost we paid in the first place is $101.00.

To magnify how Georgia Southern students are getting refunded, let's look at another University System of Georgia school: Augusta University. They have decided to give most students "a 38% refund - because at the date of March 16 your semester was 62% complete" (https://jagwire.augusta.edu/information-regarding-student-refunds/ This is for their entire tuition.

We should be getting a more proportionate refund for certain costs, now that the second half of this semester will be online.

So what do we - as students, or those who support students - do to get the economic justice we deserve? We have to demand those who can create a better solution - President Kyle Marrero, the administration + staff of GSU Financial Aid, the University System of Georgia, our loan servicers - to negotiate a more fair refund which accounts not for just some of the costs, but for the actual costs that are proportionate to what we've paid this semester.

If this does somehow get to those people in charge of negotiation, we as students demand that up to half of these costs that have been made obsolete (e.g. RAC fees, facility fees, etc.) be refunded. If anything, we need a refund proportionate to the final 5 weeks of class for any costs incurred on our tuition bill made obsolete. Many of us here will not be able to continue in higher education if we do not receive proper economic restitution, and we all want to see the best possible outcome for this great school.

In order to help communities in the future, we must demand our leaders do what's right at this crucial moment. For a large number of us who have just been laid off, filed for unemployment, or otherwise sent home due to forces beyond our control, these immediate actions might mean the difference between having a stable future or not. Help us fight for a better solution amid a global crisis.