Towson University and University of Maryland, College Park officials are planning to refund and credit students for fees paid for services they can no longer use because the universities have restricted access during the coronavirus pandemic. College Park officials estimate the university will lose about $87 million on the refund of fees and new costs associated with moving to online education, as well as paying employees no longer working on campus.
What is the university refunding?
College Park will issue credits on a prorated basis for following student fees: parking and shuttle, athletics, recreation services, Stamp Student Union, performing arts and cultural centers, and student facilities. College Park will give prorated refunds or credits to students for their room and board.
Towson University will issue prorated refunds for housing, dining and parking charges, as well as the athletics fee and the auxiliary services fee. Towson will refund 51% of fees related to athletics, intramurals, student recreation, student activity, sustainability and student union operations.
Are any fees not being refunded?
College Park is not making adjustments to library, technology, and health center fees, since these resources are essential to the continuing operations of the campus.
When will we find out about our refund?
The universities will inform students and families directly about the prorated amounts and how the credits will be issued.
What about university employee fees?
College Park employees will no longer have their parking taken out of their paychecks.
Towson has also discontinued parking fees and is reimbursing the prorated portion of those fees to faculty, staff, and students.
What about other universities in the system?
No announcements have been made yet.
