On March 11th, 2020, The University of North Carolina (UNC) System announced that, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, all in-person lectures would be transitioning to alternative methods wherever possible until further notice. An update issued March 17th, 2020 instructed students “to remain at, or return to, their permanent residences unless granted an exception by the institution.”

While the spread of COVID-19 is ultimately out of the control of The UNC System, it is completely unreasonable for the student body to pay any or all of the following, where applicable at each UNC institution: the full cost of in-person tuition, on-campus housing, and meal plans, the latter two being forfeited upon indefinitely leaving university grounds.

As many students will be completing programs online that are not officially offered as online programs by their respective UNC institution, the students of The UNC System hereby request The UNC System to refund all students the difference between the costs of in-person instruction and online instruction, should their institution have differing rates. Furthermore, should students residing in dormitories not be permitted to reside in said dormitories for the remainder of the semester, the students of The UNC System hereby request their respective institution to refund those students who paid the full cost of university housing for the Spring 2020 term. Additionally, students should be refunded the cost of their unused meal credit, whether that be remaining declining balance, meal exchanges, block meals, or other, so that they may feed themselves while isolated off campus.

It is ultimately not the responsibility of UNC students, many of which are currently full-time students and thus considered low-income earners, to bear the cost of the impact of the coronavirus on academic resources. In these trying and uncertain times, it is only reasonable that The UNC System and its institutions reimburse students their fair share so that students can better prepare and protect themselves, their families, and communities from the spreading COVID-19 pandemic, which has no end in sight.