As of March 11, 2020, the University of Massachusetts in Boston had officially made its announcement to continue all classes in a remote setting. In-person teaching would be replaced at home via our laptops/mobile phones, TA's/work studies are working from home and continuing to be compensated, students in dorms were asked to move back home (those who could not had the right to petition their room to live in for the remainder of the semester). However, because the University is still considering its services "operational from a remote setting", students will not be refunded their tuition, fees, and other costs. Students are left clueless if they will be reimbursed or relieved from these fees, given what other costs of living they may have. What is worse is that students who registered for room and board at the beginning of the semester ARE STILL BEING REQUIRED TO PAY THAT MONEY COME THE FIRST OF THE MONTH. 

When I asked the University about lowering these costs for students, who are majority working-class, balance more than one full-time job, are predominantly students of color, are students from marginalized dimensions, and are students who may not legally qualify for financial aid (DACA students), the Bursar and Chancellor only seem to provide empty responses, claiming they are "doing everything they can" and that they are still considering tuition reliefs for students. We are not in a position where we can just wait and receive an automated response from all administration when the first of the month is fastly approaching. 

To break down costs, let us take a student who is a liberal arts major and is legally a domestic applicant; without financial aid, this student would have to pay 7,306.50 to register as a full time student. This student is also responsible for ID fees (75 dollars for new students), the student also has a subsidy charge (that the University did not tell us about very informatively) for an MBTA pass regardless if he/she/they purchase the pass (20 dollars), graduation is also a charge (200), new student fees (533 combined fee), and orientation (178), and if the student has no health insurance (1,496.00). Already this student is at 9,808.5 cents that ALL students are responsible for (Nursing, management, and health sciences students acquire between 400-500 more dollars on their bill as well). Typically, payment plans for students with limited financial aid are paid in increments of 4, so if we divide the number by 4, we get $2,452.13 cents that the student is expected to pay for the first of the month for four months. If this student is international, this student's costs will almost triple (taking the same costs as the domestic student into account gives us an outstanding balance of 20,216, adding on the "international student fee" of 165 dollars). The unemployment claims in the United States according to CNN ("U.S. Unemployment Claims Hit Staggering 3.3 Million As Pandemic's Toll Grows"), after being seasonally adjusted, is now 3.28 million (also the highest rate of unemployment since 1967). How can we be expected to still be held accountable for this outstanding amount when some of us do not even know if we can pay our rent at the end of the month? Many landlords, banks, and debt collectors are not having leniency for the current situation, and it still remains unclear if our bills, rent, credit card dues, and student loans will be temporarily forgiven at this time. 

I know many other universities and colleges are continuing to expect the same amount, if not more, from their students and I do see them. When I go on their FAQ and try to find information on how other schools are handling this, they are also at a loss for words and continue to make the same empty promise we hear whenever we are in a crisis: "we are doing everything we can." Well, this petition is to ask the administration of UMass Boston to lower cost for all students, and to understand our struggle of being unemployed and with concerns on where our money is going when the first of the month is fast approaching. My goal with this petition is that other universities and students will find this peititon and push for change in their communities and educational institutes as well. 

In solidarity,

Luan M