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Over 7,000 people have signed a petition calling for the suspension of Syracuse University’s tuition increase for the 2020-2021 academic year.

The Change.org petition, which SU sophomore Hunter Franklin launched Sunday, criticizes the university for raising tuition during the coronavirus pandemic. Student Association President Justine Hastings and Vice President Ryan Golden expressed support for the petition in a campus-wide email Tuesday.

The cost of tuition will increase by 3.9% for the 2020-2021 academic year. After the increase, seniors will pay $50,700 in tuition and all other undergraduates will pay $54,270.

Many students’ families have experienced financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic and can’t afford increased tuition costs, the petition states. SU should prioritize the university community and make sacrifices like others, it reads.

“While we all bleed orange, we do not bleed money,” the petition reads. “Families should not have to choose between their financial security and a quality education.”

The university can afford to halt tuition increases and provide more financial aid to students, the petition states. SU lost $35 million due to the COVID-19 pandemic as of April 20, according to university officials.

Hastings and Golden encouraged students in the campus-wide email to sign and share the petition. The duo said their support of the petition is separate from SA, which hasn’t taken a stance because it will not be in session until the fall.

Franklin’s goal is to work with SU officials to find alternatives to increasing tuition, he said in an interview with The Daily Orange. He would also like to see more funds directed toward financial aid.

It is immoral for SU to raise tuition during a period in which many people are losing their jobs, Franklin said.

“I love Syracuse University. I feel like it’s a place where students can really flourish and succeed,” he said. “It’s just heartbreaking to see that the university in a time of crisis has decided to prioritize their own wallets over students.”

DISCLAIMER: Hunter Franklin is a staff photographer for The Daily Orange. He does not influence the editorial content of the News section in his capacity as a staff photographer.

Published on May 26, 2020 at 10:21 pm

Contact Abby: akweiss@syr.edu | @abbyweiss_21