I am a student at Baylor University currently facing an unprecedented academic crisis caused by a severe cybersecurity breach. Access to Canvas, the university’s primary academic platform, has been disrupted, leaving students unable to access study materials, assignments, grades, and critical final exam information during the most important week of the semester. Beginning May 8, 2026, students received delayed communication and little clarity regarding when systems would return or how finals would proceed. This uncertainty has created overwhelming stress and has directly impacted students’ ability to perform at their full academic potential. This petition is not asking for unearned grades. Students who currently have an A should keep their A. Students with a B should keep their B. However, for students who are currently failing or relying on final exams to improve their grades and pass their courses, this situation removes their opportunity to succeed through no fault of their own. Many students depend on final exams to raise their averages, and without access to preparation materials or stable testing systems, they are being placed at a severe academic disadvantage.

Additionally, delaying finals indefinitely without providing a timeline is unfair and unrealistic. Many students have OALA accommodations that require planning and coordination. Others have nonrefundable or difficult-to-change travel arrangements, flights home, internships, jobs, family obligations, and out-of-state housing transitions. Baylor University cannot reasonably expect students, especially those from out of state, to remain in Waco indefinitely without clear answers.

Given the circumstances, the most justifiable and equitable solutions are:

• Allow students to retain their current grades while ensuring failing students are given a pathway to pass the course.
• Or move all final exams online once Canvas and university systems are safely restored.

Other universities facing major cyber incidents, including Boston University during previous cybersecurity disruptions, implemented flexible academic accommodations to protect students from being academically harmed by circumstances outside of their control.

We urge Baylor University to prioritize fairness, transparency, and student well-being during this crisis. Students should not suffer academically because of a university-wide system failure they did not cause and cannot control. Please sign this petition to support Baylor students and advocate for a fair resolution during this unprecedented situation.