Given the suspension of in-person classes at Seton Hall University due to the Coronavirus, Seton Hall students are demanding partial tuition reimbursement. The University announced its shift to remote learning until April 13, pending further decision for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester. While we understand SHU's primary concern is the safety of our community and sympathize the difficult situation the Coronavirus has put the University in, the transition to online instruction significantly reduces the quality of our education. We fear this decline in educational quality will negatively affect our educational and professional outcomes moving forward. 

Further, our tuition and fees at the University cover many more resources and programming, which we fully will not be receiving, nor will we be attending any events on campus in the next month. This includes, but is certainly not limited to: the Spring 2020 Career Fair, accessibility to campus resources in which in-person meetings are preferable, and student activities (through student organizations, University-sponsored speakers) that are meant to foster community.

This mode of instruction and shift in campus culture (or lack thereof) does not fairly align with our tuition payments. As college payments are a financial burden for many, students should not be forced to pay for resources and housing to which they will have no access.

We call upon University Administration and/or Board of Regents to consider the lack of academic quality and the implications of reduced programming and respond by providing partial tuition reimbursement, room/board reimbursement (as of 3/15, while not forcing evacuation, Housing & Residence Life is strongly encouraging students to return home, if able.), and for commuters, a portion of already rocket-high prices of a parking pass. 

If you are a student at Seton Hall University of any grade level and would like to join this movement beyond this petition, please contact elise.kerim@student.shu.edu  . 

Thank you for your reading, consideration, and sharing. Be Well.