Ohio State announced Friday that its prorated refunds for students who moved out of residence halls and had dining plans will begin April 3. Credit: Casey Cascaldo | Managing Editor for Multimedia
Ohio State will issue prorated refunds to students who have moved out of residence halls and had dining plans beginning April 3, according to a universitywide email from University President Michael V. Drake Friday.
After initially announcing it would provide prorated refunds for housing and dining in an email sent to students living in residence halls March 15, Drake also said in the latest email that the university would provide a prorated refund for recreational fees beginning April 3. Refunds will be provided via direct deposit — if set up through BuckeyeLink by April 2 — or mailed to students’ permanent addresses, according to the Office of Business and Finance’s website.
The credited amounts refunded are for the remaining 45 days of the spring semester from March 16 based on students’ meal plan usage and the status of payments and credits in students’ accounts, according to the website. No refunds will be issued for tuition and other related fees because “courses have resumed, and students can continue to make progress toward their degrees,” the website states.
The initial refund announcement came after tens of thousands of people signed a petition asking Ohio State to partially refund tuition and room and board after the university’s March 15 email about the suspension of in-person classes and early move-out of residence halls due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
“While the spread of the 2019 novel coronavirus is ultimately out of the control of the university, it is completely unreasonable for the student body to pay the full cost of tuition and, if applicable, housing,” the petition, which had more than 69,000 signatures at the time of publication, reads.
Students, excluding those who were granted an exemption, moved out of residence halls March 14-22, and Dave Isaacs, university spokesperson, said that approximately 14,000 students lived in residence halls prior to move-outs.
BuckID funds and dining dollars will roll over into future semesters, but graduating seniors should contact [email protected] to process their refunds. Off-campus meal plans will also be refunded based on remaining usage, according to the website.
Students and staff who are eligible for the refund will receive a separate email with all relevant details shortly, the email stated.
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