The purpose of this petition is to bring attention to problems students are facing due to the hurricane and present courses of action for UCF to help with solving them. As such, here are the main points of this petition:

1.) Set a hard limit on when assignments can be due. Many students do not have access to power, WiFi, transportation, and in some cases, a home. In some locations around Orlando, the earliest power will be restored is during this weekend. Preferably, this limit should be as far out as about 1 week out to account for these factors.

2.) Exams should be postponed to at least the following week starting Monday, October 10th 2022. Many students do not have the bandwidth to study during these trying times. They are either far away from campus with their families, have been evacuated from their housing, no longer have housing to return to, and potentially have lost their methods of transportation due to flooding. 

3.) Classes should be further postponed at least until the flooding has subsided. Many students lack the ability to even escape their homes due to the surrounding area being too flooded, or for the reasons previously mentioned in this petition. Additionally, this will allow students who have to drive long distances to come back and/or take care of their families more of a reprieve given the circumstances.

   3a.) If UCF truly wants to preserve the integrity of their academic schedule, they should at least make courses move to an online format during the week(s) of recovery, allowing for students to opt for an online format. If anything this should be a mandatory option for professors to make accommodations for all of their students so they can focus on recovering.

4.) UCF should seek feedback on students' recovery from the hurricane. By opening up an active line of feedback for students, they will be able to truly understand their situations and make more educated decisions regarding the aftermath of Hurricane Ian and any other future disasters/ campus-wide issues. This means potentially sending out regular surveys amongst any other ways to do this.

5.) UCF should offer methods for students who lost their homes and belongings to bounce back. Although there are programs in place, there are resources that could be pushed further like a relief fund much like the COVID-19 HEERF Grants, or using some spaces on campus, such as the Addition Arena, as temporary shelters for those who no longer have homes/belongings to return to. 

As mentioned previously at the beginning of this petition, these are only potential solutions to problems. There are students in dire straights who are living out of their cars, having their own and/or family's homes ruined, or currently don't have access to the internet or even power. By signing this, you are at least making it clear that the student body needs more assistance than we are currently receiving and should truly be heard to a greater extent for this situation and for all future catastrophes.