Story by Max Cook

Photo courtesy of  Aquinas

Students who were displaced by the campus residency move out are entitled to a refund in the form of academic credit for the 2020-2021 academic year. The academic credit will be roughly equivalent to the 44% reduction in the room and board charges for the Spring 2020 semester. This amount was determined by Aquinas given the number of weeks residences would remain vacant following the transition to remote learning. In order to qualify for the credit, students must have moved out by March 24th; however, those who have left campus housing but have yet to retrieve their personal belongings will be considered “moved out” for the purposes of qualifying for the academic credit. Furthermore, students and families enduring financial hardship may apply for the credit to be issued as a refund instead.

For students who have already paid for the Spring ‘20 semester, the Student Accounts Office will post a credit to the student’s account for the Spring ‘20 semester and transfer the same amount to the Fall ‘20 semester as a deposit. Students requesting a monetary refund will have their requests reviewed by a committee, and may be contacted for further discussion. Responses may take up to three weeks from the date of submission.

So, how much can students expect in credit? Aquinas figured the standard rate for room and board in the ’19-’20 academic year to be $9,598, making the cost of an individual semester’s room and board approximately $4,799. After applying the 44% prorated refund, it looks like students should expect around $2,000 in academic credit going into the fall semester. Graduating students applying for a refund will have the credit applied to their student accounts until earning their degrees; after which, refunds will be issued to graduates on June 1. Non-residential students who still utilized campus dining plans remain entitled to the credit in the amount of 44% worth of board expenses. 

For more information, check out the FAQ’s regarding Partial Credit for Spring 2020 Room and Board.