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Student-Led Petition Drive At CU Asks For University To Give Some Tuition Money Back

(CBS4) - With the university facing a critical battle against COVID-19, life is just not the same on campus. Hundreds of students and parents at the University of Colorado have signed a petition asking for some of their tuition money back due to the limitations in place.

"We are paying the same amount, but we are not getting the same opportunities, the same quality of education," said Sophia Volk, an organizer of the petition.

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The petition reads: "I believe the current rate of tuition is unfair. I stand with this student-led initiative to demand a more fair tuition during the coronavirus pandemic."

The Boulder campus is looking pretty empty lately, with at least half of the classes remote or online. But the university is not offering to give students any money back. They argue reimbursing or cutting tuition would decrease the quality of education.

"We oppose this for a lot of reasons. We think that it would diminish quality," said Ken McConnellougue, VP of Communications for CU.

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(credit: CBS)

McConnellougue says students in need are getting grant money from the CU Foundation, and there have been furloughs and pay cuts.

"I haven't had, like, the full experience that I wanted and, like, getting money back I just think it's a good idea," said Courtney Pingree, a freshman.

"They told us that they were resuming all in-person classes when we came back and then ... all of my classes are still online," said Claire Lemel, a sophomore.

The effort is getting some support from Heidi Ganahl, a member of the CU Board of Regents. Ganahl said she plans to introduce a resolution that will address the issue at next month's Regents meeting. In August a measure that would have offered some form or relief was considered but the Regents turned it down.

Earlier this year a CU student from Pennsylvania and her father sued the CU Board of Regents in federal court. The lawsuit claims because the coronavirus has limited the activities on the Boulder campus, they should receive a refund. That lawsuit is still making its way through the court system.

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