Several universities have instituted policies that they will not issue housing refunds if their ... [+]
Some universities are taking steps to keep their budgets intact in case of closures in the fall. And they’re doing so at the cost of their students.
Recent reports indicate that several universities have instituted policies that they will not issue housing refunds if their campuses are forced to close due to Covid-19. This includes Washington State University, Western Carolina University, and the University of South Florida.
This spring when the coronavirus pandemic struck the United States, college campuses shuttered. Students were forced to move out of college dorms and find new housing options. Many students requested prorated housing refunds based on the remaining time left in the semester.
Fortunately for students and institutions, Congress passed the CARES Act which provided about $14 billion to higher education. Half of the money was required to go to students in the form of emergency grant aid which could cover expenses like housing.
The other half went to institutions to help them cover coronavirus-related expenses. For schools that rely on housing revenue, the CARES Act helped offset a massive loss in revenue.
Now, many are predicting a second wave of coronavirus and a second college closure to follow. These colleges are working to shield themselves from this loss of revenue again.
But at what cost?
If colleges close again, students will be forced off campus and have to find new housing. That is less challenging for the stereotypical college student, who can rely on their parents, but for a large swath of students that won’t be easy.
Forty-nine percent of students today are financially independent from their parents. A number would be homeless without their dorms.
But even for those who can rely on their parents for housing, that doesn’t necessarily mean they are wealthy. Some have to help their parents out financially when they are at home.
Others are taking on debt to pay for those dorms. Living expenses make up more than half the cost of college. Students rely on both housing and food services. Without refunds for housing and meal plans, many students would have gone into debt to make sure they were fed and sheltered.
Recently, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) proposed a bill that would have provided another $132 billion for higher education. Meantime, Congress is debating a second coronavirus relief package. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) has said he is open to supporting a bill with more money for education.
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