University of California Student Association  1020 12th St., Suite #232  Sacramento, CA 95814  510-834-8272 ​www.ucsa.org      March 18, 2020        Chair John P​é​rez  President Janet Napolitano  Office of the Secretary to the Regents Office of the President  1111 Franklin St.,12th floor 1111 Franklin St.,12th floor  Oakland, CA 94607 Oakland, CA 94607      Subject: Requested Call to Action for COVID-19 Crisis Student Support Services    Dear Chair P​ére​z and President Napolitano,    The  spread  of  a  global  pandemic  is  a  uniquely unpredictable crisis, and one that no amount of  foresight  could  prepare  for.  Nonetheless,  it  is  a  situation  that  all  of  us  find  ourselves  in.  Given  this  monumental  challenge,  we  are  thankful  for  the  leadership  displayed  by  university  and  campus  leaders  in  responding  to this crisis swiftly, thoughtfully, and intelligently in line with the  highest  ideals  of  the  UC.  Students  are  equally  committed  to  decreasing  the  spread  of  COVID-19  through  proactive  social  distancing  efforts,  including  the  decision  to  suspend  in-person lectures to protect student, faculty, and staff safety.     That  said,  in  the  midst  of  this  pandemic,  during  which  drastic  steps  must  be  taken  by  the  University  of  California  to  protect  public  health,  students  cannot  be  left  out  of  the  decision-making  process.  On  behalf  of  the  UC  Student  Association,  the  collective  voice  of the  280,000+  students  of  the  University  of  California,  we  write  to  share  some  key  ways  that  campuses can support students impacted by the global COVID-19 crisis.    As  UC  students,  we  are  requesting  immediate  holistic support for students systemwide as they  take  action  to  protect  themselves  and  their  families  against  the  unprecedented  spread  of  the  COVID-19. Below is a list of asks to support students through these coming weeks:    Continued  access  to  on-campus  housing  and  dining.  ​UC  students  are  appreciative  of  UC’s  decision  to  keep  ​on-campus  housing  and  dining  operations  open  for  students,  while  offering  students  who  opt  to  leave  campus  prorated  refunds.  We also appreciate  the  UC’s  effort  to  address  visa  challenges  and  protect  federal  financial  aid  packages.  We  ask  that  campuses  provide  emergency  campus  housing  options  for  any  students  who may be displaced during these times, such as homeless and foster youth students.       University of California Student Association  1020 12th St., Suite #232  Sacramento, CA 95814  510-834-8272 ​www.ucsa.org      Financial  resources  to  impacted  student  workers.  ​As  campus  operations  shut  down,  student  workers  are  at risk of not getting paid, even as their financial obligations remain  the  same  or  increase.  The  UC Undergraduate Experience Survey (UCUES) indicates that  students  who  work  20+  hours  a  week  face  housing  and  food  insecurity  at  disproportionate  rates.  Therefore,  we  are  requesting  both  ​paid administrative leave for  non-remote  on-campus  jobs  and  ​emergency  loans/cost  of  attendance  adjustments  for  off-campus workers​ if downsized by their employers.    University  legal  support  for  off-campus  housing  contracts.  With  the  suspension  of  in-person  lectures  across  UC  and  recommendation  to  move  home  if  possible,  students  may  be  wishing  to  shorten  or  terminate  housing  contracts. For students remaining near  their  campus,  additional  protections  from  off-campus  landlords  may  be  required.  In  these  important  landlord-tenant  negotiations,  expert  legal  advice  comes  at  a  high cost  to  students  and  families.  Therefore,  the  UC  should  ​provide  pro  bono  legal  services  to  students wishing to renegotiate or terminate their housing contracts.    Free COVID-19 testing if advised by a physician​. ​COVID-19 testing is essential to inform  students  experiencing  symptoms  of  whether  to  seek  further  care  or  quarantined  isolation.  UC  students  who  are  advised  by  a  physician  to  get  tested  for  COVID-19  should be offered free testing by the university.    Continued  access  to  UC  SHIP  benefits  off-campus.  ​Especially  in  a  global  pandemic,  access  to  healthcare  is  essential.  Health  services  covered  through  UC  SHIP  should  continue  via  telehealth,  off-campus  providers,  and  through  reciprocal  health  networks.  These benefits should be clearly communicated to students covered by UC SHIP.    Technology  subsidies  for  students.  As  students  navigate  the  difficult  transition  toward  an  online  learning  platform,  UC  must  provide  resources  to  navigate  this  change.  UC  campuses  should work locally to provide transition subsidies to online learning at home.  Campuses should be sure that students have access to technology, such as laptops, and  make provisions for students without reliable Internet access at home.    Online  accessibility  for  students  with  disabilities.  As most classes and academic content  migrate  online,  students  are  concerned  about  the  accessibility  of  online  content  to  students  with  disabilities,  especially  those  with visual or hearing disabilities. We request  that  UC  provides  proactive  accommodations  and  support  to  differently-abled  students  to navigate this difficult online transition.      University of California Student Association  1020 12th St., Suite #232  Sacramento, CA 95814  510-834-8272 ​www.ucsa.org      Childcare  subsidies  for  student  parents.  Across  the  UC,  student  parents  have  had  their  access  to  childcare  impacted  by  social  distancing  directives.  Providing  childcare  subsidies  ensures  that  student  parents,  many  of  whom  still  have  to  work  or  study,  can  receive much-needed help in order to support and take care of their children.    Flexibility  in  enforcing  payment  deadlines.  Exercising  flexibility  in  enforcing  deadlines  for  payment  of  tuition,  fees,  and  on-campus  housing.  Campuses  should  not assess late  payment  fees,  drop  students from enrolled courses, or ask students to leave on-campus  housing.    No-penalty  changes to the Pass/No Pass grading option. Two UC campuses operate on  the  semester  schedule,  which  was  thrown  off  course by this crisis. We ask that UC allow  students  at UC Berkeley and UC Merced to switch classes to the Pass/No Pass option as  they may have experienced unmitigated obstacles half-way through their term.    Relaxation  of  graduation  requirements  for  graduating  seniors.  Students’  academic  plans  were  severely  disrupted  by  the  new  campus  directives,  learning  transitions,  and  personal  life  developments.  The  UC  should  relax  graduation  requirements  for  graduating  seniors  to  keep  them  on  track  for  fulfilling  all  criteria  needed  for  degree  attainment, regardless of any last-minute grading option changes.    Leniency  in  academic  performance assessment. ​In the midst of the chaotic environment  and  mass  panic  that  this  pandemic  has  created,  students  cannot  be  expected  to  perform  at  the  rigorous  level  that  the  UC  demands.  We  ask  that  the  UC and Academic  Senate  apply  lenient  grading  standards,  reduce workload, provide deadline extensions,  and  make  finals  optional.  Campuses  should  strongly  consider  following  the  lead  of  many professors who have decided to give “A’s” to all their students.    Not  increasing  tuition.  While  we  are  working  to  alleviate  the  stress  and  uncertainty  students  are  directly  experiencing,  the  Board of Regents is still considering five years of  tuition  and  student  fee  increases.  This  aggravates  the  pressure  students  are  experiencing,  especially  as  students  have  not  been  given  the  full  opportunity  of  engaging  with  Regents  and  providing  their  feedback  at  the  March  meeting  due  to  last-minute  changes.  We  request  that  tuition  is  not  increased  as  this  creates  additional  stress for students and their families as they navigate these turbulent times.    These  are  by  no  means  solutions  that  will  solve  the  totality  of  this  crisis’s  impact  on  students.  But  they  are  important  first  steps  that  the  UC  can  take  ​immediately  to  ensure  students  do not  fall through the cracks of UC’s emergency response.     University of California Student Association  1020 12th St., Suite #232  Sacramento, CA 95814  510-834-8272 ​www.ucsa.org        With time, the UC community has the opportunity to move beyond this unprecedented crisis.  But until then, the impacts of this crisis will hit UC’s most vulnerable student populations the  hardest. The only way to overcome this crisis in a truly equitable fashion is if systemwide UC  leaders work in close partnership with students in order to prioritize those most vulnerable.    Sincerely,  Varsha Sarveshwar Aidan Arasasingham  President Government Relations Chair  UC Student Association UC Student Association        CC: Anne Shaw, Secretary and Chief of Staff to the Regents  Dr. Carrie Byington, Executive Vice President, UC Health  Dr. Yvette Gullatt, Interim Vice President, Student Affairs