The COVID-19 pandemic put an abrupt stop to everybody’s life. America is still feeling the horrific effects of the virus as millions of people across the country are threatened with eviction, job loss, and the possibility of contracting and spreading a deadly virus. The actions taken by Virginia Tech’s administration will not adequately protect the health and well-being of students, workers, and community members who make this university function and thrive. That is why we, YDSA at Virginia Tech, set out to correct this with a list of eleven demands in order to better protect students and workers who may be negatively impacted by returning to campus this fall.

It is clear that what students, workers, and broader community members need is material aid and concrete action. Virginia Tech placing all responsibility on “Ut Prosim” is not a real or tangible solution. We will all be impacted with unchanged tuition costs, additional parking fees, and vague plans for how the school is going to keep all students safe in the midst of a pandemic. Our university should be aiding us during hard times, not punishing us through austerity, price increases, and unsafe learning and working conditions. The demands we are raising aim to address just that, including PPE for everyone, free and accessible coronavirus testing, guaranteed hazard pay, reduced tuition, a fair on-campus parking system, and more.

We must come together and demand that Virginia Tech puts students, workers, and community members before profit. Join us in this fight to set things right and demand dignity and respect from Virginia Tech, not just during the COVID-19 pandemic, but for the future of our campus community.

In Solidarity,

Young Democratic Socialists of America at Virginia Tech

Our Demands are the Following:

Students:

• A tuition freeze until 2023 and tuition be lowered by 35% for this semester and next semester without altering or drawing money out of existing student aid. For the fall semester, we request to be refunded the 35% for those who paid in full.
• A vast expansion of online and in-person mental health services provided through Cook Counselling, including, but not limited to, the hiring of additional counselors, psychiatrists, and support staff.
• Provide all students with the means for online education for those who are not able to provide it for themselves (WiFi, hardware, etc.). Have it done by a reimbursement system for students purchasing their own products/bills/WiFi installation fees, and for those without the means to purchase upfront, via a request process.

Safety:

• No additional use of police or digital surveillance of students to enforce social distancing. Selling or distribution of collected information and app users’ data will be prohibited.
• Regular COVID-19 testing available for free for students, workers, and all community members of Blacksburg. Expansion of Schiffert Health Center services to combat the rise of COVID-19 cases and improve general health on campus.
• Distribution of Personal Protective Equipment to all University students and workers for free all semester.

Solidarity:

• Provide free parking passes to ALL on-campus workers at VT. Students with on-campus classes should be allowed to park for free on the days that they have classes on campus. Eliminate the new policy for paid parking after 5 pm. All parking passes must be able to be fully refunded if they were purchased for the upcoming school year.
• Hazard pay for all workers, including FWS, student employees, direct employees, contracted, and part-time workers. Virginia Tech must assist BT in providing hazard pay for bus drivers. Expansion of Housekeeping Services workers. Hazard pay for all workers under Division of Campus Planning, Infrastructure, and Facilities, including any student and part-time workers.
• Continue to pay students employed through Federal Work-Study programs, even if they are unable to return to work for personal/health reasons, travel restrictions, or if their jobs no longer exist due to COVID-19.
• A firing freeze through the 2022-2023 academic year. No workers will be fired as part of budget cuts for two years—a reversal of the current hiring freeze.

Financial:

• At least a 5% decrease on the top ten salaried employees' income until 2022 ($277,000 total.) This money could then go to almost doubling the budget for increasing need-based financial aid (which is currently only increasing by $284,000).