The COVID-19 Pandemic has caused much stress both nationally and internationally in recent days, weeks and months. The pandemic is set to continue for the foreseeable future.

Recent emails from the University of Limerick and its President have confirmed that students will no longer be "physically back on the UL campus this semester". Universities around the country have undertaken the same measures as UL to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus not only among staff and students but to the nation as a whole and have closed access to their campuses.

Due to the closure of the UL campus, many students have no reason to remain in their on-campus accommodation and have returned home to their families, to be with them in such a stressful time.

The University of Limerick is the ONLY university in Ireland not offering refunds to students for their on-campus accommodation. This position is simply untenable.

The University must show a duty of care to its students at all times, particularly throughout such a stressful period as a worldwide pandemic.

Many students have lost their jobs as a result of this pandemic and this has placed much financial strain on both them and their families. Refunding students for their unused accommodation would take a significant financial burden off students this year.

The "University Profile" section of UL's website states: "Particular attention is paid to the generation of knowledge which is relevant to the needs of Ireland's continuing socio-economic development" in the University. It would seem, however, that little attention is being paid by the University of Limerick to the very current socio-economic issues faced by the UL student body and their families as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

It is with regret that this petition is being made. The students should not have to call upon the University of Limerick to show compassion and follow in the footsteps of EVERY other university in the country. As students of UL, we would like to see our University lead by example. Nonetheless the University has failed to do so in this case.

We wish UL would follow the compassionate and understanding actions of the rest of the country's universities.

Please sign this petition and help show compassion during this testing period for these students and their families.

Stay safe at this time.

Thank you.