We, as students, are calling on our institution to adjust tuition to reflect the mandatory switch to an online format. Recently, The University of Denver has mandated that all spring quarter, and semester, classes be switched to an online format due to safety reasons. While this is necessary, this has negative impacts for many students, especially those who have learning disabilities or physical disabilities that hinder them from getting quality education from online formats. On Sunday, March 22nd, The University of Denver announced that tuition will not be adjusted during this unprecedented time. The University proceeded to charge all students for the spring term before students were able to appropriately express their concerns.

The University of Denver offers high-quality education and that is reflected within its high tuition prices. Many DU students chose their programs for their valuable in-person and highly interactive classes, choosing to take out loans to go. While under normal circumstances this is a price students are willing to pay, COVID-19’s impact on everyone's lives has made this price unmanageable. Many students have lost their income due to this historic pandemic and are overwhelmed with the uncertainty of how they will afford to live through-COVID-19 while simultaneously getting their education through the University of Denver.

An abundance of students are surprised by how this pandemic and its effects have been handled at many levels at this University. At this point in time, students are collectively feeling a lack of support from the University of Denver. This sentiment is especially true for disadvantaged and differently-abled students who made the life-altering decision to invest their futures in the University of Denver, only to now feel as though they regret it because they once again must decide if they can afford, not just financially, to attend this institution. These decisions are being made at both graduate and undergraduate levels. The expectation that students must pay the same price for an education that can no longer be in the expected in-person format, which better facilitates University of Denver’s educational approach of “learn by doing,” has students collectively disappointed in our chosen institution. Furthermore, students are aware that we no longer have access to the facilities, printers, transportation, or any on-campus resources that our tuition covers.

While the University of Denver did not expect the mandatory switch to online learning, students did not expect the unprecedented hardships, both financial and mental health, caused by COVID-19. We are also reeling and trying to find our footing in a world that looks vastly different than it did four weeks ago. Neither the University of Denver, nor its students, are responsible for the changes that are required to keep us all safe during this time of pandemic, yet us students are being held responsible for tuition that cannot offer as much of a return as it once did. As students of learning at a respected university that teaches us to question how things work and how things are done and encourages us to pioneer a new and brighter path for the future, we must question why we are paying tuition for an education that only had three weeks to be altered to fit an online format.

In addition to financial strain on those students who no longer have an income and the decreased quality of education, there is a precedent in the Graduate School of Professional Psychology that tuition for online classes be lower than tuition for in-person classes. The online Master of Arts in Sports Coaching program costs $730 per credit hour, while tuition for all other Graduate School of Professional Psychology programs cost $1,461 per credit hour. Given this difference in tuition, it is reasonable that tuition would be lowered to reflect the change in the learning environment. With all the information provided, we call on the University of Denver to lower tuition for students.

By signing this petition, you are letting DU know we, the students, want to see a change to help alleviate student suffering during this stressful time.