In late March, doctoral students in Philosophy and Theology at Villanova University sent a letter and testimonials to their administration, program directors, and department chairs asking for support. The testimonials accompanying the letter outlined in detail the precarious conditions we faced in past summers--conditions which, as the letter made clear, are about to become far worse. Our requests are as follows:

(1) Distribute another health care stipend equal to our current health care stipend ($1,000) in response to the dangers of our present health care situation.

(2) Distribute additional funds to all Philosophy and Theology graduate students in the amount of continuous pay at the current rate through the months of June, July, and August to mitigate the unprecedented financial difficulties graduate students face in the coming summer.

(3) Provide written confirmation of its commitment to implementing adequate and affordable health care for all graduate student employees starting Fall 2020.

These requests are in response to the ongoing pandemic and our increased economic vulnerability during the summer months. Many of us already face massive medical debt due to our insufficient healthcare or complete lack of coverage. On top of our nonviable healthcare situations, our stipend barely covers our cost of living during the nine months that we are paid--let alone during the summers when we receive no funding and must seek temporary employment. In addition, the vast majority of us are not eligible for unemployment, even with the expansion of unemployment benefits in light of the COVID-19 crisis. During the coming summer, many of us will face eviction as a direct effect of these factors in the middle of the worst economic catastrophe since the Great Depression.

The University is deciding on how to respond to our requests through a committee. The administration has promised us time and time again that we will be involved in this committee as a result of our advocacy, but we continue to be left out. As it stands, the University has offered us contingent access to an emergency fund which has been set aside specifically for graduate students. We do not believe contingent access to limited emergency funding is a long term or viable solution to our urgent problems that are exacerbated by the current crisis but are, in fact, the result of systematic problems in funding procedures.

As we continue working to support the health and success of our academic home and workplace, we ask Villanova University to invest in the health, safety, and financial security of all of the members of the institution. Please sign our petition to urge Villanova to accept our requests and help some of the most vulnerable in our academic community survive the effects of the crisis this summer!