Some Indiana college students seek refunds after classes moved online
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — University of Indianapolis first-year graduate student Taylor Bohlman is a physical therapy major.
She’s one of many Hoosier students whose classes are online because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It would be nice to get some of our tuition back for this semester, at least for the program I am in, since we couldn’t really finish our classes for this semester anyways,” Bohlman said.
About online classes at UIndy, Bohlman said, “Classes have had the same amount of work, just with less resources because we don’t get that full-time lecture in class.”
On April 16, UIndy told students they will begin receiving notices about their specific refund amounts directly from the Business Office.
Nationwide, students have sued schools demanding tuition refunds. Those include a Purdue University student suing for a refund of spring semester tuition.
About the lawsuit, a Purdue spokesperson said in a statement, “It was sadly predictable that some plaintiff’s lawyer would attempt to profit from this unprecedented public health crisis that’s affected us all. The suit is baseless and has no chance of ultimate success. In the meantime, it will be one more minor difficulty among all those we’re currently wrestling with.”
Purdue’s website explains since instruction will be delivered through the spring semester, tuition and fees will not be reimbursed. However, in some situations, students may be given a pro-rated reimbursement of course fees.
Chuck Carney, Indiana University’s director of media relations, told News 8, “We have certainly heard from our students on our campuses regarding refunds on quite a few things. For our campuses where there is residential housing, students have either been given a credit on their housing if they are returning to university housing or a pro-rated refund if they are not. And there is also a form to appeal for just a straight refund in any case. The pro-rating goes back to March 21.
“We have done refunds on certain fees (and given the variety of these around the campuses, this may still be in the works for some) since services stopped in many cases. We have not issued tuition refunds since instruction did not stop and classes have continued online.”
About refunds, Butler University’s news content manager with marketing and communications, told News 8 in a statement: “In cooperation with our external housing and dining partners, we have issued prorated credits to student accounts for housing, the block plan portion of meal plans and all unspent Flex Dollars, and the Health and Recreation Center fee. Prorated credits reflect the period of time (beginning March 16 and lasting through the end of the spring term) that students were unable to reside in their campus housing—minus a 7 percent reduction for non-recoverable costs, such as non-cancellable portions of vendor leases and contracts. The non-recoverable costs were reduced to a minimum, with the University absorbing the majority of these costs. Classes have continued online throughout the semester, so tuition will not be credited.”
Mark Apple with Marian University told News 8, “We notified students last week about housing and meals credits, and those credits have already been posted to their accounts.”
Marian University sent an email to students about housing and meal credits.
Mary Dieter with Depauw University told News 8, “The university issued checks Aprili 17 to students to reimburse them for unused room and board.”
Jeff Fanter, Ivy Tech Community College’s vice president for marketing and communications, said in a statement, “We do not have room and board. We have not received complaints and in fact have worked with students who requested refunds. We are also one first schools to get the Cares Act funding out to our students which has assisted many students.”
News 8 is awaiting a response from Ball State University officials.