University Students Ordered to Leave Campus
Photo credited to Google
Loyola University sophomore Mia Berrios was sent into a panic after she received an email on the morning of March 12 from the university stating that in-person classes were canceled for the remainder of the year and she could no longer be able to live on campus because of COVID-19 fears.
“All residents are expected to check out of their residence halls by Thursday, March 19, we encourage you to leave as soon as you can,” read the email sent to all residents at the university.
According to Berrios, who was assigned as a resident assistant in her residential building, after the initial email there was not an additional follow-up from the university to help students figure out the logistics of moving back home in a short amount of time. Any information they received was communicated by other students or from their work-study supervisors.
Berrios learned from the aquatics supervisor that U-Haul was offering free 30-day storage lockers for students and Enterprise was lowering rental prices for their cars.
“Loyola [University] didn’t tell us anything about access to resources,” said Berrios. “It really shows just how little they care for international students or first-generation, low income [students] who don’t have the resources to move right away.”
Although in-person classes had been canceled, Berrios thought her job as a resident assistant would have allowed her to stay on campus and allow her to maintain her two on-campus jobs. Her plea to stay was denied and her financial security was turmoil.
At Loyola, Berrios worked as a lifeguard and resident assistant, but with the campus closed her jobs were suspended. Both her jobs were used to pay tuition at school.
Loyal University has offered students nearly $7,000 for room and board but there are still other fees that are unclear whether not the university will refund students including fees such as printing fees or chemistry lab fees.
“I think they should also refund some tuition because why am I going to be charged for resources that I can’t use anymore?,” wondered Berrios.