THE University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus says it has introduced a 50 per cent cut in any outstanding school fees as part of a slew of measures to support students impacted by Hurricane Melissa.

“We have agreed as campus management that we are providing a 50 per cent discount to eligible students who have been affected by the hurricane, on their outstanding balance, and the other 50 per cent they will have up to May 2026 to pay, so immediately they don’t have to be worrying about school fees or being locked out of exams,” Campus Registrar Donovan Stanberry told the Jamaica Observer on Monday following calls from a group of students for a sit-out in response to the planned resumption of classes.

The students, in a letter posted to Instagram, addressed to The UWI Administration, called for a sit-out on Monday, as they charged that the decision to reopen was premature, and expressed frustration that the decision to grant leniency had been left to lecturers.

But Stanberry was adamant that decisions made by the administration of the campus were made with students in mind.

“We have said to them in all our communiques, we are making special provisions for you… In other words, we are not being insensitive, but I don’t think we can have the ability to open up for students who can engage and not do so. We are restoring normalcy, but we are not leaving those who are in a state where they cannot engage behind,” Stanberry said.

“We have sent out feelers and messengers to say, ‘If you are from those affected areas and you can return safely without putting yourself at risk and if you are in an emotional state of mind so to do, you are welcome back on campus’. Our space here is safe and we have psychosocial support,” added Stanberry.

He told the Observer that while the 50 per cent discount applied to only tuition at this time, discussions are still evolving regarding rent.

“We haven’t reached there yet, but put it this way, we will not turn out one student out of the halls of residence…We can’t speak for 138 [Student Living] but as time progresses we are willing to engage in dialogue.”

Stanberry said for students who still feel they are mentally unable to engage in classes or who are unable to do so, lecturers have been instructed to record their classes by any means so that students will have access.

“If, after all of that, you are still not in any frame of mind, come in and speak to us… we have set up a special website, you might want to defer your assessment without penalty, you might want to defer a semester, these accommodations are available,” the registrar indicated.

When queried on provisions for students who may not want to defer an entire semester, Stanberry said there was also the provision to defer an exam.

He rejected the claim that the university is being insensitive and pointed out that they have already made checks on their students and staff in western Jamaica.

“The entire management team was in western Jamaica, Montego Bay, to be specific. We went down with a whole truckload of supplies ranging from food, to water, to toiletries to support our students and staff on that side of the world.”

According to Stanberry, unaffected students had been sent into the hard-hit areas in the immediate aftermath of Melissa with care packages for their affected schoolmates.

In terms of other policies being implemented, the registrar indicated that the university is coordinating a solution to collect and orderly disperse aid where residents, businesses and other students will be able to drop off donations for affected Jamaicans.

“The details of that we are going to put on a specialised website which will be launched [Tuesday],” said Stanberry.

He argued that with these measures in place the university could not reasonably not reopen.

“We have a campus that has electricity, water and Internet. Facilities that many others do not, so how could we in the face of that say that we are not ready to engage,” said Stanberry as he argued that the university had to strive for balance between prioritising continued education and making provisions for affected students.

“We do not [fight] with our students; they are our constituents and we quite understand their emotions at the moment,” declared Stanberry.

The UWI Mona Guild has confirmed that teams were sent to western Jamaica to locate some students and the families of others.