Refunds and Credits for Housing, Meal Plans and Parking due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

A communication was sent to students on April 8, 2020 detailing specifics on refunds and credits for housing, meal plans and parking due to the COVID-19 pandemic.  The verbiage of the letter is provided below for your information and reference.

Dear Rowan students,

We appreciate your continuing patience while we have undertaken the complex process of preparing to issue refunds and credit for the semester’s housing, meal plans and parking services disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope the refunds and credit will help you and your family cope and recover as we find our way through this international crisis. 

 

Eligibility and timing for credit and refunds

Students who have applied for graduation are eligible to receive refunds; continuing students will receive credit towards future expenses at the University, which may be used for summer courses and/or student account charges incurred within the fall 2020 semester. We expect to complete issuing refunds/credit by April 24, 2020, with a small fraction of graduating seniors issued refunds on a rolling basis. Refunds and credit will be calculated from March 23, 2020. The University will not issue refunds for tuition and fees as all coursework continues online for this semester. 

 

Graduating seniors

Refunds for housing, meal plans, and/or parking charges will be issued automatically to students who have applied for graduation. These refunds are expected to be processed on or before April 24, 2020, and will continue throughout the summer as students continue to apply for graduation. The application process triggers a review of your earned credit and academic standing, enabling the University to confirm your official completion date.

Funds will be transferred to students through direct deposit. To enroll in direct deposit, visit rowan.edu/epay. Students who do not have direct deposit will receive a check. Please note that refunds for unspent Rowan Bucks and Dining Dollars will be processed on or before June 30, 2020, in accordance with standard operating procedures.

 

Credit for continuing students 

Students with housing, meal plans and/or parking charges will receive a credit equivalent to the amount unused for the spring 2020 semester. Please note exclusions listed below in the section, “A small group will not be eligible for credit or refunds”.

The amount issued to you will be calculated as follows:

• For students in University housing, a credit of 42.72% of the total charge will be applied to student accounts. This corresponds to 47 unused housing nights out of 110 total possible housing nights for the semester (January 19, 2020 to May 9, 2020).
• For students with meal plans, a credit of 45.71% of the total meal plan-only component will be applied to student accounts. This corresponds to 48 days of unused meal plan swipes out of a total of 105 board days for the spring semester (January 18, 2020 to May 9, 2020). 
  
  
  • Rowan Bucks: These funds will remain available for immediate and future use, including for those with or without a meal plan or block plan. 
    
    
  •  Dining Dollars: The unspent cash portion of each student’s Dining Dollar balance will be closed out and credited to students’ fall account. 
    
    
  • Block plans: Credit will be issued for any unused meals calculated as a percentage of the total block plan purchase. 

• For spring semester parking permit holders, a credit of 44.03% of the total permit cost will be issued to each student’s Bursar account; this corresponds to 48 unused days of parking out of a of 109 total possible parking days for the spring semester (January 21, 2020 to May 8, 2020). For annual permit holders, a credit of 22.22% of the total annual permit cost will be credited to each student’s Bursar account; this corresponds to 48 unused days of parking out of a of 216  total possible parking days for the year (September 3, 2019 to May 8, 2020). 

 

Credit used to pay account balances

All credit is expected to be applied to student accounts no later than April 24, 2020. The credit will first pay down and/or pay off any existing student account balances. Credit that remains after application of payment or full credit for those with zero balances will be deferred to the summer and/or fall 2020 semester. Any unused credit will be automatically refunded to the student on or before September 30, 2020. 

 

A small group will not be eligible for credit or refunds

Students who fit the following criteria will not be entitled to a credit or refund: 

• Students who received special approval by the Dean of Students to live on campus through the end of the semester. 
• Students who received full housing and/or meal plan scholarships, including all institutional funding, graduate coordinators, and resident assistants, will not receive a credit or refund because the University already covers these expenses. Students who receive partial funding for these items will have their accounts individually analyzed to determine the credit or refund net of the charge and the scholarship. 

For more information or clarification on these refunds and credit, please contact the Office of the Bursar at bursar@rowan.edu.

Thank you for your continued patience and perseverance. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Leonardo T. Freyre
Director for Business Affairs & University Bursar