Allie Kirkman| South Bend Tribune
SOUTH BEND — A petition circulating online is calling on Indiana University to “consider financial hardships” and refund students as campuses, including South Bend, have closed amid concerns of the COVID-19 outbreak.
More than 14,000 people — a mix of students and parents — have now signed the petition, addressed to IU President Michael McRobbie, urging reimbursements for loss of in-person instruction and access to on-campus services.
All IU face-to-face classes have been suspended and students and faculty are preparing to transition to virtual learning for the remainder of the spring semester. Additionally, students have been directed to leave campuses by today when residence halls close.
The petition, which was posted on Change.org, said the decision to transition coursework to online modules is in the best interest of students’ health, but “students’ financial health also plays a key role in their well-being and must be considered.”
“Many students, such as myself, are putting themselves through school using the scholarships they have earned, their personal savings and high interest loans,” the petition, created by Dominique D. of Princeton, Indiana, reads. “Every cent counts when funding your own education.”
Indiana University South Bend spokeswoman Paige Risser said the procedure for refunds on room and board is still being worked out.
“IU is acutely aware that students and families have already paid for housing that they will not be able to use,” IUSB officials said on the school’s website, specifically addressing students who have moved out of River Crossing Campus Housing. “Adjustments for housing will take into consideration financial aid guidelines. We are working through this process, and additional information will be forthcoming.”
The reimbursements are underway, said IU Spokesperson Chuck Carney, and students can expect to see an adjustment statement in the coming days.
Since classes for all IU students will resume remotely online, Carney said it is unlikely at this time that students will receive reimbursement for tuition costs.
Denny Raven said students are worried about replacing lost jobs. They said coronavirus-related directives to move off campus puts disproportionate burdens on low-income and international students.
“I’ve got several friends who don’t live in South Bend, but they have jobs here. They won’t be able to go to work for a few weeks and have had to call in. For some people, that income is very important to them and they won’t have that now,” Raven, a sophomore, said before leaving South Bend’s campus for spring break.
“Schools canceling in-person classes are definitely affecting more than education,” Raven said.
Carney said eligibility should not be interrupted for students attending school through merit scholarships and other financial assistant programs. He said university officials are still working to address what changes need to be made for students who have federal work-study jobs.
“It’s going to be taken case by case,” he said. “Some students might be in a position where they can complete work from afar, but that’s all still being determined.”
International students who can’t return to their home countries will be able to remain on campus until summer. Other students who do not have a permanent residence or cannot return to their homes can file a petition to stay on campus during the shift to remote learning.
Students experiencing financial hardships are encouraged to contact the student financial aid office on their respective campuses, Carney said. Those who have an emergency financial need may be eligible for emergency grant funding.
“This is clearly an unusual circumstance,” Carney said. “We will continue to work with students to make sure they get the help they need.”
University of Notre Dame
What was supposed to be the end of spring break turned into move-out day on Monday for some University of Notre Dame students, like Riley McNulty, who packed up his belongings from Dunne Hall.
Residence halls closed on Tuesday and all in-person classes on campus have been suspended beginning Monday. Students are encouraged to stay home and continue their courses online.
“(Campus) has been dead. A lot of people didn’t even come back to get their things,” said McNulty, a sophomore, who returned from vacationing in Florida. “Most people brought everything home because they are not expecting to come back this semester. … It kind of sucks for us, but I feel a lot worse for the seniors, who will be stuck at home their last couple of weeks of college.”
The Rev. John Jenkins, the university’s president, announced that the university is suspending face-to-face classes and transitioning to virtual learning for the remainder of the spring semester. In a letter to students and parents Wednesday, Jenkins said the decision was made after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a new recommendation that no gatherings with 50 people or more be held for the next eight weeks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The move also came after university officials reported that a student who returned from studying in London has tested positive for COVID-19.
“I deeply regret having come to this conclusion,” Jenkins said, “but it would be impractical and irresponsible to bring our students back to campus before the end of the semester.”
Jenkins said the University will pro-rate room and board charges for the spring semester and make the appropriate refunds to student accounts.
School officials are currently working on ways for students to collect their belongings from on-campus residences.
International students who can’t return to their home countries during this period are able to remain on campus. A small population of students who were unable to return home were also approved last week by the Office of Residential Life to remain in the halls.
Students who are employed on campus are advised to work with their supervisors to determine an appropriate schedule and location for work, according to the university’s website. If a healthcare provider says an employee should be quarantined or isolated, the university will continue to pay that person for the 14 days.
Students who are currently on campus and unable to cover the cost of travel home can be provided financial assistance from the university, said Notre Dame spokesman Paul Browne. They are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Enrichment at 574-631-8162 or enrich@nd.edu. The office can also help provide resources to those returning home, including laptops to participate in online classes.
Other schools
Purdue University officials announced Tuesday that the commencement ceremonies in May are canceled. This news came a day after President Mitch Daniels announced that Purdue would extend its upcoming move to virtual classrooms for the rest of the spring semester.
“I know you are disappointed. So are we,” Daniels said in a letter to graduating students. “You will receive more details from the Office of the Registrar in the days ahead about our plans to hold the best virtual commencement that we possibly can – as only Purdue can do.”
Daniels said questions about refunds and other matters related to students moving out of campus residence halls were still being worked out.
Ball State University has also suspended all in-person classes through the end of the semester and will move to “virtual instruction and other alternative learning options.” All residence halls will be closed to students by March 29.
“In light of this public health crisis, our university will not enforce the standard provisions in our housing contract,” President Geoffrey Mearns said in a statement Monday. “Students will receive a credit to their bursar accounts in the appropriate pro-rata amount, subject to applicable federal financial aid regulations, to be applied to future expenses.”
Mearns said officials will consider refunds, rather than a credit, in cases of financial hardship.
Trine University’s President Earl Brooks announced Wednesday that the school will continue online-only classes and labs for the remainder of this semester and all campus residence halls will be vacated by March 29.
Trine students will receive a pro-rated refund for the five-week period between March 29 and the end of the semester, Brooks said. Refunds will be completed by April 10.
DePauw University, which requires students to move off campus by Friday, will offer prorated refunds for room and board charges to students who resided in university-owned housing.