In relation with other NC Universities, such as UNCG and Western Carolina, High Point University has altered their housing contract to protect them from issuing partial refunds to students in the case that COVID-19 causes federal, state, or university decisions to send students home early from their fall semesters. 

Just because something is legal, it doesn't mean it is ethical.  

While it is understandable that universities rely on student tuition, room and board, and other assorted fees in order to pay staff and faculty, upkeep campus grounds and facilities, and, it is our belief that HPU acted unprofessional. On Wednesday 7/22, HPU sent an email to students with the new housing contract embedded in it. This email was sent AFTER tuition for Fall 2020 was due, leaving students with little choice, as arrangements have already been made and plans established. 

While an email was indeed sent on May 28th, briefly mentioning the no refund policy, this was not in legal writing and was not the central idea of the email, which outlined the new schedule for the fall semester and safety. One detail at the end of an extremely informational and dense email mentioned the schedule changing, not if we as students get sent home. This can lead to misinterpretation and was not entirely clear until the revised housing contract was enforced. 

COVID-19 has brought forth a plethora of hardships for all. HPU Students acknowledge the hardships the school has gone through, but this cannot be a one sided relationship; by writing in a contract that students are not eligible for a partial refund if we are sent home is not acknowledging the hardships of students. 

COVID has hit college aged students harshly. From dismembering senior year for some and ruining graduation, to struggling with at home “zoom” learning, to having difficulty finding employment, to being an age group singled out by the government and not entitled to stimulus checks, the odds have not been in college students favors.
With studies showing that about 56% of students cannot afford higher education due to COVID repercussions*, some students will be needing to take out loans, even if they have not had to do so before. To dish out a loan, and be in debt for years to come over a semester that might end early feels like a waste and digs a further hole in mutual trust between students and university leaders. 

An alternative to no refunds, schools such as HPU can consider a model such as this; 

Minimum wage in North Carolina is $7.25. Average work hours land around 40, totaling workers who earn minimum wage and work 40 hours a week a sum amount of $290 earned before taxes. 

For every week early we are sent home, $300 ($10 more for extra costs) per week is kept by the university.

For example, if students are sent home 5 weeks early from the planned end of the semester, the school would keep $1500 ($300 x 5 weeks) per student to be allocated towards additional costs such as staff wages, and the remaining amount as decided by the schools weekly totals for costs of living would be returned back to the student/students family.

HPU houses slightly over 5,000 students currently. If students are sent home 5 weeks early, HPU would pocket 7.5 MILLION, at the least.

There are 15 Weeks in the Fall Semester, leading to these calculations of approximate weekly cost in relation to HPU housing tier costs:

Tier 1: $7,719................. $514.60 per week - 300 = $214.60 per week refund

Tier 2: $9,666……………$644.40 per week - 300 = $344.40 per week refund

Tier 3: $10,432………….$695.47 per week  - 300 =$395.47 per week refund

Tier 4: $11,635………….$775.67 per week  - 300 =$475.67 per week refund

Tier 5: $13,847…………$923.13 per week   -300 =$623.13 per week refund 

HPU Students care about the wellbeing of the faculty and staff of HPU, and do not want a refund to impact their paychecks, and we want to acknowledge HPU’s efforts in working with students to do the right thing, hence this potential alternative. It is our hope that negotiating partial refunds will enable the people who work at HPU to keep getting paid and not be impacted by the decisions of the school in a negative way. If it means the construction of a new building or a fountain needs to be put on hold to ensure student needs come first, it is a fair price to pay.

I, along with, i'm sure, everyone who signs this petition, loves HPU and is grateful to be going back. Because we love HPU, we are standing up to maintain its extraordinary status and keep students and families feeling important, necessary, and respected by HPU Authority. 

 

* https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/04/more-than-half-of-students-probably-cant-afford-college-due-to-covid-19.html