Tuition refunds (spoiler alert: they’re not happening)

Cheers were heard (virtually, of course) when it was confirmed that Stevens would be providing refunds to Stevens leased housing students and those with meal plans; however, it was still left uncertain whether tuition refunds were still up for grabs. Sadly, the Stevens community has now been notified that this will not be the case.

Marybeth Murphy, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs, sent a mass email about the tuition refunds — they are not happening.

According to the University, Stevens is fulfilling its duty to students by providing coursework online as well as continuing related support services. All courses will be offered online until the end of the semester and because students will be receiving course credit, there is no need for a tuition refund.

Now, what about that General Service Fee?

The General Service Fee is charged semesterly for courses on campus or online and for students enrolled in Co-op. The fee is $710 per semester. Though it has not been confirmed, a refund for this fee is most likely not happening. The fee is currently being used for things still in place, even during the pandemic, so it seems unlikely that a refund will take place. Sara Klein, Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs, will update members of the Stevens community with any changes.

Stevens is not the only university figuring out their financial situation. Most universities nationwide have declared partial refunds for housing and dining. The College of New Jersey, Montclair State University, Villanova University, and Lousiana State University are just a few of the many colleges that are also providing partial refunds for the housing and dining plans. However, students at some schools, like The New School and The Ohio State University, do not think that is enough. More than half of the students enrolled at these universities have signed petitions to recieve some type of compensation for tuition. Although no changes have been made to either of the schools’ policies, the students remain hopeful.