Coronavirus Update: Room and Board/Meal Plan Refunds and Credits

Dear Students, Parents and Families:

I write to share further information regarding Spring 2020 refunds and credits. We understand that students and families have questions and concerns. Please know, we are working with urgency to address them.

First and foremost, we want you to know that if you were unable to move your belongings out of your campus residence by March 22, the amount of your refund or credit will not be affected. No matter what date you are able to clear your room and/or apartment of belongings, you will still be eligible for a housing and meal plan refund or credit prorated to March 23, 2020, the date that the University discontinued residential instruction, and you may apply beginning on March 27.

A refund or credit will be processed once students have removed their belongings from their on-campus residence hall or apartment and turned in their keys. A routine room inspection will be completed, and then the refund or credit will be issued.

Currently, New York state is under an executive order from Governor Andrew Cuomo that forbids any non-essential travel, and no students or families are allowed to clear out their residence hall room or apartment at this time. We will offer additional opportunities to return to campus only when federal, state and local health officials have deemed it safe to do so.

 Outlined below are answers to some of the most common questions we have received from students, parents and families:

How do I apply for my refund or credit?

On Friday, March 27, at noon, a form will be available on the MySlice Housing portal that will allow students to request their refunds or credits.

I was unable to travel to Syracuse University and move my belongings out by March 22. Will I be eligible for a refund or credit?

Yes. If you were unable to move your belongings out of campus housing by March 22, the amount of your refund or credit will not be affected in any way. You will still be eligible for a refund or credit prorated to March 23, 2020, and can apply beginning on March 27.

What conditions need to be met before I receive my refund or credit?

Students will need to have removed their belongings from their on-campus residence hall or apartment and turned in their keys to the Office of Student Living. A routine room inspection will be completed, and then the refund or credit will be issued. No matter what date these conditions are met, all refunds or credits will be prorated to March 23, 2020.

I have completely moved out of University housing and forgot to return my key, or I plan to have a shipping company pack up my belongings for me and do not plan to return to campus. How can I turn in my key in order to meet the conditions for the refund or credit?

If this is the case, you should return your key by mail to the University. North Campus students vacating a residence hall should mail their keys, along with their name, SU I.D. number and hall/room number to the Office of Student Living at 111 Waverly Ave., Syracuse, NY 13244. South Campus students vacating an apartment should mail their keys, along with their name, SU I.D. number and apartment number to the Housing Office, 401 Skytop Road, Syracuse, NY 13244. We suggest using a tracking number when mailing your key back to campus.

What if I currently have an outstanding balance on my Bursar account? Will I still receive a credit or refund?

To the extent there is an outstanding balance due on a student’s bursar account, the adjustment would be applied toward the balance first, before a refund is issued.

I vacated my campus residence before spring break. Can I receive a larger refund or credit because of those extra days?

No. The University will prorate credits or refunds from March 23, 2020, the date that residential instruction was discontinued.

Will you refund or credit my fees?

Once you have met the conditions to receive the housing and meal plan refund or credit, the residential internet and cable access services fee will also be refunded or credited to your Bursar account, following the same proration basis used for the Housing adjustment. There will be no refund or credit for mandatory fees paid in Spring 2020, such as the health and wellness, activity or co-curricular fee, as is consistent with the University’s Tuition, Fees, and Related Policies bulletin.

Will you refund or credit my parking fees?

Yes. Please mail your parking pass and other devices (such as garage openers and swipe cards) to the Parking Office and then submit an email to parkmail@syr.edu that includes your SU I.D. number and contact information. Once those have been received, the Office of Parking and Transit Services will process a parking refund or credit prorated to March 23, 2020.

I am an upperclassman. I do not plan to live in University housing next year and will not need a meal plan. Instead of receiving a housing or meal plan credit, can I get a refund?

If you do not plan on living in University housing or purchasing a University meal plan, these credits will be applied to tuition, fees or any other billed charges on your Bursar account.

I have requested to remain in University housing beyond March 22, 2020. Will you prorate the refunds or credits differently based on how long I stay?

If you have requested to stay in University housing beyond March 22, your refund or credit will be prorated based on when you vacate your room or apartment. If you move from North Campus to South Campus, there will be no change to your room and board charges.

I plan on studying abroad next semester. Do I still qualify for the housing credit? If so, how do I apply it to my study abroad room and board costs?

Yes. Your credit will be added to your Bursar account, and that credit can be applied to any charges on your account, including those for studying abroad.

I plan on transferring from Syracuse University and will not return to residential housing or need a meal plan. How do I request a refund?

You should fill out the form on MySlice to request a refund, and it will be issued once your confirmation of transfer is received by the Syracuse University Bursar’s Office.

I do not want my meal plan credit to be in the form of SUpercard food money. Can you give me a refund on my meal plan instead?

We have heard from many students and parents on this issue and are working to adjust this process. If your prorated meal plan credit is less than $1,000, we will add that money to your SUpercard food balance, and you will have until the end of Spring 2021 to use it. If your prorated meal plan credit is more than $1,000, you can request that any amount above $1,000 be credited to your Bursar account.

How will I receive credit for my remaining SUpercard PLUS funds?

There is no need to request this money. We will follow our typical procedure and credit student accounts the day after the semester ends. Any remaining PLUS funds on your account will be transferred to your Bursar account on May 11, 2020.

I appreciate all the students and families who took the time to reach out to our office. I am hopeful that we have addressed the majority of your questions. However, we will continue to work through outstanding issues and communicate with you when there is more information to share.

To learn more about Syracuse University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit Syracuse.edu/coronavirus.

Stay safe, be well and take care.

Sincerely,

Jennifer L. Uryniak
Interim Director, Auxiliary Services