The Coronavirus outbreak is impairing students at the University of Arizona from completing and passing their classes. The university had a seemingly humane response, in which all classes, including in-person, classes, are going to be online for the rest of the semester. This is not an effective solution in this time of crisis. We, the students of the University of Arizona, need all classes for the Spring 2020 semester to be cancelled by Saturday, March 21st. We need an optional pass/fail system* implemented for all Spring 2020 classes, and for every student to be given a passing grade for every class. We also need a partial reimbursement of our Spring 2020 tuition. Here is our reasoning:

1. Although online classes help slow the spread of the virus, they still require intellectual and sometimes emotional labor. This labor should not be the focus of students right now. They should be self-isolating and focusing on their health, so they don't get the virus. It's unreasonable to expect students to still be productive in a time of crisis. This is expecting too much from UofA students. 

2. As mentioned, it's unreasonable for the university to still expect productivity from its students when the virus is causing immense stress. The option* of a pass/fail system will honor the work that students have already done in their classes and remove the stressors that could endanger them more to the virus. Students should be planning how to survive the virus and quarantine themselves, not how they're going to pass their classes. 

3. We also demand a partial reimbursement of tuition for every student. The assumption of paying tuition is trust in the university's ability to accomodate the needs of students. The Coronavirus outbreak is making that increasingly difficult as more cases are confirmed in Tucson. The university cannot live up to the responsibilities it promised its students. If the university truly values the safety and lives of its students, there should be no problem agreeing to reimburse students. People are always more important than profits.

*Correction: not every student wants a pass/fail grade for their classes, so the language of this petition was changed. Thank you to everyone who contacted and corrected me and the people involved in making this! Our collective needs are the reason why this petition exists!

The University of Arizona needs to acknowledge the unique situation we are in. It cannot ensure the safety of students while still expecting them to prioritize their education. We need all classes to end, all students to pass, and all students to be reimbursed.

Willfully,

The Students of the University of Arizona