Volume 138, Issue 26 Wednesday, April 1 2020 utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon
Letter from the Editor: In the midst of coronavirus and climate change
GABRIELA SZYMANOWSKA Editor-in-Chief
When I stepped into the role of Editorin-Chief back in December, I could never have imagined what this semester would bring with it. Of course, I’m sure no one could have imagined the situation we are all in now as the coronavirus pandemic continues to grow in the U.S. and across the globe. Each day, we find ourselves faced with
new challenges and hardships. Around the country, many are still grieving their loss of normality — seniors who have worked so hard for years won’t be able to walk at graduation, those laid off from work don’t know how they will make ends meet, doctors and nurses struggle daily to help their patients and the list goes on. And while there is a lot of negative to focus on during this time, I also see hope and inspiration. I am inspired daily by the doctors, nurses and other health care workers who tirelessly work to help patients. I am inspired by other student journalists across the country who are learning how to balance online classes and reporting while finding a new normal in their lives. I am inspired by the small victories that come with each new day. I am also inspired daily by my own staff at the Daily Beacon. Right before spring break, we made the decision to move completely online, forgoing our print edition of the paper. And over the break, as updates were coming out about the coronavirus,
editors and staff writers stepped up to write about what was going on to keep the UT community informed. This last week and a half have had many challenges. We’ve had content cut down in all sections. We are all learning to work remotely. We are all learning better ways at communicating digitally. But, we are — and will continue — to update the Volunteer community with information and content daily on the Beacon’s website and through our social media platforms. In addition, we will continue with our plan to make this month’s content a little more special than usual. On Wednesday, April 22, we will be digitally releasing our last special issue for this semester: Climate Change and Crisis. Leading up to this special issue starting today, we will have content coming out weekly that pertains to the issue. This past year, climate change has been a forefront in discussions across the globe with many international climate change protests bringing people together. From climate activist Greta Thunbergleading the
younger generation in raising their voices, to celebrities like Jane Fonda being arrested during a climate change protest in California, to Democratic candidate _Bernie Sanders rising to the top of the polls because of his stance on the topic, it is time that we focus on the growing crisis. Over the next month, we will have stories about how the environment is impacted by COVID-19, features on environmental organizations, combatting fast fashion, Earth Day and so much more. While there is still so much uncertainty that lies in front of us in the upcoming months as the world deals and hopefully eventually heals from the impact of the coronavirus, the Daily Beacon will remain a constant bringing the news to light.
Prorated fee refunds issued for students no longer on campus NATASHA MCKAMEY Contributor
OneStop released an email on Tuesday stating that student accounts would reflect the issuing of prorated fee refunds beginning the week of April 6. These refunds would apply to students who are no longer on campus. This email outlined the fees which qualified to be refunded, when refunds were expected and that each prorated amount would be calculated from March 23 to May 9, 2020. Additionally, the email outlined steps that students should take to receive their refunds in a timely fashion. The decision to generate prorated refunds was made after an influx of emails from students with questions about future fees after UT decided to move its classes online for the remainder of the semester. According to Chris Cimino, senior vice chancellor for finance and administration, and Frank Cuevas, interim vice chancellor for student life, this choice was made by UT’s leadership team led by Chancellor Donde
Plowman. Prior to the release, the team had been working on a plan to address refunds because for students no longer living on campus, funds for housing and dining didn’t apply anymore nor could they be used. “There was never a question of whether to offer prorated refunds for certain services,” Cimino and Cuevas said. They stated that their team and Plowman worked with the United States Department of Education to ensure these refunds would not create issues for students who receive financial aid. Additionally, those who receive financial aid will not be impacted differently than students who do not receive aid. “One of our main goals was to develop a refund plan that would not cause long-term harm for students who receive financial aid,” Cimino and Cuevas said. Students no longer living on campus should expect to receive a refund based on funds charged for on-campus housing, meal plans, study abroad fees, transportation fees and parking permits. Cimino and Cuevas did clarify that the refunds apply to on-campus housing, which includes fraternity and sorority houses lo-
cated on university-owned property that charge semester housing fees through the university Additionally, all meal plans will be honored as well. One Stop stated that Vol Dining will send an email out for instructions on Flex Plan Dollar refunds. Selection for rollover plans and refunds for Flex dollars ended Friday. For students who didn’t select a plan, the funds will automatically roll over to their VolCard account by April 2, and they will be able to request a refund from the VolCard account then. In respect to parking permits, refunds will be generated for all student passes for those no longer on campus. However, staff members must request stop charges for parking but would need to request a new permit once normal operations resume. Therefore, the decision for staff members has been left up to them on an individual basis. The email from One Stop urged students to setup their e-Refund account by Friday March 27, 2020 to ensure an expedited process. If no e-Refund is setup, a check will be mailed to the students’ address on file. This process may be completed through MyUTK
by selecting “Pay Fees/Account Balances” under “My Resources,” then selecting “Refunds” to set up your account. For students who continue to reside on campus with an exemption, no refunds will be generated as they continue to use services for housing, meals, transportation and parking. One Stop Student Services has counselors standing by to answer any questions or concerns students might have. They may be reached at 865-9741111 or via email at onestop@utk.edu.