March 27, 2020
Dear students,
We want you to know that we are working quickly to resolve the financial impact this transition to remote learning will have on a student’s unused campus housing, meals and fees for the remainder of the spring semester while taking into account students’ financial aid awards.
Students living on campus prior to the COVID-19 crisis will receive a refund or credit for housing fees and meal plan fees (if applicable, net of any waivers) based on the proportionate time between March 19, 2020, and the end of the spring term.
To be eligible for a credit/refund, a student must have:
- Completed their virtual checkout by Sunday, April 5 at 11:59 p.m. All residential students are expected to complete the virtual checkout, regardless of whether you have already turned in your key and/or kept belongings in your room.
- Paid their bill in full (students with partially paid bills will have their room and board charges reduced in-line with the timing calculation).
- Removed their belongings from their residence hall and returned their keys by Saturday, May 23. Please note that due to the New York State on PAUSE Executive Order, the College is not currently allowing students to come collect their belongings. Once travel is again permitted by state and local authorities, Residence Life will resume making individual appointments to facilitate removing personal belongings from on-campus residence halls.
Students living off campus with meal plans will receive a refund or credit for the unused portion of their meal plans.
All students will receive prorated refunds or credits for certain other fees for services that have been discontinued due to the COVID-19 emergency. The calculation of the amount of the refund or credit is being determined for each of these fees. The fees eligible for a credit/refund include:
- Athletic fee
- Fitness center fee
- Student activity fee (Student Government Association reserves the right to determine refund)
- Transportation fee
Residential students who have been approved for a hardship waiver to remain on campus are not eligible for a credit/refund.
Credits or refund amounts will be finalized as soon as possible and certainly before the end of the spring semester. However, we will not be able to process the credits and refunds until the semester is completed, as each student’s financial aid situation is unique and this will take time. We recognize that this is a difficult time. If you have a critical financial need, please be in contact with the Financial Aid Office, at onestop@potsdam.edu.
For information on other questions, please continue to monitor your email and check the SUNY Potsdam COVID-19 response page, at www.potsdam.edu/covid19.
Sincerely,
Keith Kaplan
Interim Vice President for Business Affairs
Eric Duchscherer
Interim Dean of Students