Leadership from the Associated Students of the University of Arizona has written a formal statement in response to the coronavirus and the effects the situation has had on the UA. This statement was sent directly to the Daily Wildcat by ASUA for publication.
Wildcat Family,
As the Associated Students of the University of Arizona (ASUA), we understand that the effects of COVID-19 and its impacts on our campus community are significant and will have a drastic impact on students’ lives. We want to recognize and urge the Senior Leadership Team to realize that these new circumstances will impact members of the student body differently, because no two student experiences are the same. Intense stress, confusion and fear surrounding the coronavirus are negatively impacting the mental and physical health of our Wildcats. Students from certain communities including, but not limited to, the following are disproportionately affected by the evolving situation: students of color, students with disabilities, immunocompromised students, students with dependents, international students, out of state students, undocumented students, housing-insecure students, food-insecure students and low-income students. In light of this, we want to ensure that students are informed, reassured and supported.
The following are updates regarding ASUA programs and services:
- Campus Pantry is fully operational with modified hours. The Campus Pantry will have distributions in the Sonora Room in the Student Union Memorial Center on Tuesdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. If there are any changes to the Pantry’s hours, location or operational status as the semester continues, the student body will be notified via the ASUA and Campus Pantry websites as well as social media.
- All Club Advocates are in the process of becoming trained in Zoom in order to help clubs adjust to regular Zoom meetings for the remainder of the semester. If your club has any questions about club meetings, changes with club funding or club registration, please view the relevant contact information at https://asuatoday.arizona.edu/clubs/contact-us.
- Due to staffing limitations, SafeRide will not be operational for the remainder of the semester. We are looking at alternative transportation options for students during this time.
- ASUA Senate meetings will continue to be held every Wednesday at 6:00 p.m. The Zoom link to these open meetings will be posted on ASUA’s Facebook page and the ASUA website.
- Spring Fling, all Wildcat Events Board events (including Bear Down Music Festival) and Campus Closet distributions have been canceled for this 2020 spring semester. However, our ASUA student directors are working to create programming for students that can be viewed and enjoyed online.
Please consult these links for updates regarding on-campus resources:
- Advising/Student Success & Retention Innovation
- Campus Health
- Counseling and Psychological Services
- Dean of Students Office
- Parking and Transportation Services
- Residence Halls
– https://housing.arizona.edu/coronavirus-covid-19-campus-housing-faqs
- Student Employees
– https://provost.arizona.edu/news/2020/03/guidance-student-workers-academic-instruction-roles
– https://research.arizona.edu/covid-19-guidance-research-students-postdocs
- Student Unions
Please view the University of Arizona’s Coronavirus COVID-19 webpage for a more comprehensive and up-to-date list of resources at https://www.arizona.edu/coronavirus-covid-19-information.
We urge all members of the Wildcat community to listen to the warnings released by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and practice social distancing and self-quarantining when necessary. It is imperative that we, as a student body, take any possible action to prevent the spread of this virus. Staying home when possible is a sign of dedication to the health of your friends, family and fellow Wildcats.
ASUA has been engaged in conversations with President Robbins, Provost Liesl Folks, Dean of Students Kendal Washington White and other members of the Senior Leadership Team regarding the coronavirus since the start of the outbreak. We will continue to be a part of these conversations and advocate for students’ needs. We hear your concerns, and we are strongly advocating for the implementation of a pass/fail option for students concerned about the impact of online instruction on their learning outcomes. The pass/fail option will provide some relief to those students that are struggling with this transition to online instruction. In addition to this advocacy, we will continue to seek answers about concerns surrounding reimbursements, residence halls, on-campus jobs, academic eligibility, virtual classroom procedures and commencement, among others.
As we navigate these changes we remain optimistic, but we also want to acknowledge our loss. The transition to online, event cancellations, and the closures around campus are undoubtedly impacting the college experiences of all students. For those graduating seniors that have looked forward to commencement and convocation for many years, we especially grieve with you as the status of these special events are uncertain as a result of COVID-19. As seniors ourselves, we know firsthand the disappointment of missing out on the “lasts” of college and feeling like you will be unable to see all of your hard work recognized. The bottom line is that this time of fear and confusion will pass, and once it does, our community will work to move forward together. The strength of our love for the University of Arizona and the bond we all share as Wildcats will outlive this global pandemic.
Bear Down,
Sydney Hess, ASUA Student Body President
Bennett Adamson, ASUA Executive Vice President
Kate Rosenstengel, ASUA Administrative Vice President
