This is done in collaboration with the Saint Mary’s student body, faculty, and parents who submitted testimonies and concerns.

LOWER COST OF ATTENDANCE. We, the students & parents of Saint Mary’s College of California, demand a decrease in the cost of attendance including tuition, room and board, and the student body fee. With this, we also demand an allocation report of where exactly our money is being distributed as well as an itemized bill on Student Accounts. Lower the cost of housing due to the fact that students were already billed for a double room and now are subjected to the higher rates of a single room. The U.S. is facing financial insecurity caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and it is imperative our institution takes this into account as they make their decisions.

POSTPONE AUG. 7th DEADLINE. We, the students & parents of Saint Mary’s College of California, demand for the Aug. 7th deadline to pay tuition to be postponed until Aug. 14th. Saint Mary’s should also forfeit any late fees for those who do not meet the Aug. 7th deadline. 

ACTIVE COMMUNICATION. We, the students & parents of  Saint Mary’s College of California, demand for active communication. We want to be included within the discussions and decisions regarding any changes for the school but most importantly to the students. We also demand Saint Mary’s to provide an explanation of what makes their online platform worth the cost of $50,460 (this includes demanding an explanation for the $200 student body fee in regards to student activities). We demand for the presence of the Board of Trustees at Town Hall meetings, official office hours, and any zoom calls concerning the Saint Mary’s community. It would be in the best interests of everyone if those who ultimately make the decisions that impact the whole Saint Mary's community to be present at these events. 

LIVE UP TO THE FIVE LASALLIAN CORE VALUES. We, the students & parents of Saint Mary’s College of California, demand that Saint Mary’s prove their commitment to their five Lasallian core principles. Saint Mary’s mission includes the five Lasallian core values: Concern for the Poor and Social Justice, Faith in the Presence of God, Quality Education, Respect for all Persons, Inclusive Community; however, we do not see these values being lived up to with recent changes to housing rates, disproportionate prioritization, inconsistencies in communication, and the tardiness in announcement compared to other institutions.   

PROVIDE VIRTUAL CAMPUS JOBS. We, the students & parents of Saint Mary’s College of California, demand that virtual jobs should be offered to FWS and non-FWS students. Many students relied on on-campus jobs in order to financially support themselves. We understand that not every office can operate virtually but we demand a list of job offerings this fall. 

PRIORITIZE HOUSING FOR SENIORS. We, the students & parents of Saint Mary’s College of California, demand for seniors to be included in with “first-year students, High Potential Program students, international students, Pell-eligible students, students requiring on-campus disability accommodations, students requiring on-campus courses for which there are not remote options, and students who are experiencing housing insecurity and/or technology constraints.” The senior student body is also at risk of not being eligible to graduate on time.

BRING BACK MIDTERM BREAK. We, the students & parents of Saint Mary’s College of California, demand the right to a midterm break. More students will experience burnout without it. We have understood that Saint Mary’s dismissed the midterm break with the assumption that students will return to campus, but Saint Mary’s cannot justify not having a midterm break considering all classes are online and only a small number of students will live on campus. With the fall semester beginning August 24, students and faculty will only be given a three-day Thanksgiving break. Due to the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic students, faculty and staff deserve the right to a recess. 

POSTPONE AUDITIONS AND PERFORMANCES. We, the students & parents of  Saint Mary’s College of California, demand for all auditions and performances to be postponed. Not everyone has adequate space in their household to perform their best for an audition. 

ADDRESS FINANCIAL AND SAFETY CONCERNS REGARDING LABS. We, the students & parents of Saint Mary’s College of California, demand for the cancellation of lab fees. Everyone was still charged lab fees for their courses last semester even though the student body transitioned to online education. This is immoral because students were charged for resources they no longer had access to. Several students were unable to receive their diplomas due to a hold on their account for lab fees. In regards to Fall 2020, some students have been told that their lab equipment and chemicals will be shipped to their home address. Not every student has access to space in their homes for chemicals and this could be potentially dangerous to ship and care for.

We look forward to collaborating with the Saint Mary’s administration and Board of Trustees to enact positive change on behalf of the entire Saint Mary’s community, students, staff, faculty, administration, family, and all.