TYLER, Texas — Hundreds of people have signed onto the "No Guest Policy = No Love" petition calling for UT Tyler to change their guest policy at campus apartments and its residence hall.
There are nearly 600 signatures. In comparison, the university houses 1,800 on campus.
Mickey Meyer, a senior at UT Tyler, says not only has the policy affected his personal mental health but his friends' mental health as well.
"It's too hard to live with this existing policy, it needs to be changed," Meyer said.
Dean of Students at UT Tyler, Andrew Pettee, describes the policy as anyone who's in the apartment must be a resident of the apartment so it can be treated as a family unit.
"Which means the students who are living in the residence hall room or the apartment are able to live as they normally would with no masks," Pettee said.
In the Spring 2021 Return Procedures for UT Tyler, it states "Residents will not be allowed to have guests in their rooms."
Meyer says he understands the university is trying to stop the spread of coronavirus but believes the current policy goes too far.
"We're just people trying to be with our significant others or just try to be with our friends, you know, and I want to see a policy that reflects that," Meyer said.
Pettee says the university hears the concerns of the students and they have and will continue to take steps to ensure the well-being of their students.
"We want to make sure that we're providing an environment that allows students to interact safely and also continue their education," Pettee said. "So we're definitely open to hearing what students have to say."
To read the petition click here.
