UPDATE (Thursday): The students are to be moved before Sunday the 13th. An email has been sent to UNCW staff and faculty asking for the bare minimum they should do is test students who intended to move. At the time the email was sent there was 1005 signatures. Thank you to everyone who has signed and shared!

UPDATE 2 (Sunday evening): All students were supposed to complete their moves by this afternoon. Sadly, I never got a response from the UNCW staff whom I emailed in regards to COVID-19 testing and refunds. However, another staff member reached out to me and stated that "students going home are receiving prorated refunds for housing, meals, and parking." I am truly sorry that those moving will not be required to be tested. Regardless of this, please take advantage of the free COVID-19 testing available on campus. Once again, thank you to everyone who signed and help us voice our concerns in this matter. Feel free to continue to do so on your own time, I am unsure of how much more I can do with this petition. 

Recently cases and clusters of students testing positive for COVID-19 have increased at UNCW. As a result of these outbreaks, the university has decided to de-densify the student population by moving those living in double-occupancy rooms into single-occupancy rooms without being tested for COVID-19 before doing so. Those already living in single-occupancy rooms have been given no choice in these matters. Those leaving double-occupancy have been given the choice to return home and receive a housing refund OR move into a single-occupancy without paying the pricing difference and without being tested for COVID-19 before moving.

Multiple students who are living in single-occupancy, majority of all students on campus, are tremendously upset and have tried emailing and reaching out to UNCW facility and staff members. We have been ignored or told excuses. We want the option to deny having potential carriers for COVID-19 living in our buildings and compromising our health. At the least, we are asking for those moving to be tested and quarantined if positive. UNCW staff members have stated that FREE testing is available on campus. If those living in single-occupancies are upset with others moving in, we were told we can also return home but will NOT receive a refund.

We are concerned that UNCW will not let single-occupancies return home without being penalized for doing so. We are being refused refunds on housing, parking passes, and meal plans. Meanwhile, if those living in double-occupancies return home, they will receive full refunds. 

We are concerned that UNCW not treating those already in quarantine properly. It has been rumored that those in quarantine have not being fed sufficiently. Meals are being forgotten completely or being tampered with.

We are concerned that UNCW is not temporarily suspending classes to allow for students to return home if they chose to do so. While majority of classes are currently online allowing for some flexibility, few classes are still being held in person. The professors of these classes are the ones responsible for adjusting to those leaving. 

We are concerned that UNCW is not enforcing distancing and masking guidelines correctly. Students are told to wear masks in public and there are 6-feet markers in place. However, these are only seen in class rooms or dining areas. UNCW has chosen to open facilities, e.g. the gym, albeit with limited occupancy or signing up beforehand. 

We ask that

1. Students who are changing housing be tested before moving.
2. Students in quarantine are cared for and fed properly.
3. Students who return home receive refunds, regardless of if they are moving from double-occupancy or single-occupancy housing.
4. Classes to be temporarily suspended to allow for students to move home.