Dear UNC Students, Parents, and Families,
As the Coronavirus pandemic spreads throughout the United States we are all facing a rapidly changing world. UNC has certainly not been exempt from those rapid changes. We recognize that many of UNC’s students, who prior to spring break were living on campus, are changing their minds as classes move online and Stay at Home orders are implemented in Colorado and beyond. UNC’s housing and dining operations are continuing to adjust services and hours in order to meet evolving demand and changing health and safety protocols.
Our campus community has had to make very difficult decisions during this unprecedented situation, including asking those students who are able to refrain from returning to campus. We appreciate your patience as we have worked diligently to come up with a solution to questions about housing and dining refunds for students no longer staying on campus.
Today, I want to share with you that UNC will offer prorated credits to students who move out of the residence halls and/or have meal plans they are now unable to use. These credits will be backdated to begin on March 23, 2020. This offer is final and its terms will not be altered. Please read the following details to understand how the credits will be applied to student accounts as well as the steps each student needs to take to complete the process and receive their credit.
Room and Board Credits
The prorated credit will be calculated based on each student’s individual dining plan and housing assignment (details below). Because of Colorado’s “Stay at Home” order, we cannot use room check-out as a reliable way to determine who has actually left campus. As a result, it is critical that ALL STUDENTS who have a 2019-2020 housing contract fill out the form below in order for UNC to process their credit. Any student who does not complete the form by Thursday, April 2, 2020, will not receive a credit, even if they are no longer living on campus.
The housing and dining credit will be visible in Ursa on a student’s Academic Year 2020-21 financial aid offer by late May and will be applied to Fall 2020 student account balances. Unused Dining Dollars will roll forward into Fall 2020 as Dining Dollars. If your credit is not used for the academic year 2020-21, it will be forfeited at the end of May 2021. The only exception to this process will be for students graduating in Spring 2020. If you are a graduating student with no outstanding student account balance, your credit will be processed as a refund. Students who fulfill all graduation requirements can contact the financial aid office to initiate this refund.
Students with questions regarding their student account, billing, registration or financial aid should contact Bear Central at 970-351-4862. Bear Central staff continue to work remotely at this time.
STUDENTS MOVING & CHECKING OUT OF UNC HOUSING
Students who have either checked out or who indicate that they will move out by completing the Spring 2020 Housing Plan (due by Thursday, April 2 at 11:59 p.m. MST), will receive a prorated credit for housing and dining that will be applied to their Fall 2020 bill. This credit will be calculated from Monday, March 23 through Saturday, May 9, 2020, based on each student’s individual dining plan and current housing assignment.
Housing Deposits
Students who have decided to move out and will not return to live in on-campus housing next
year will receive their housing deposit back if there are no damages documented in
their current room. The amount of a housing deposit refund will first be used to reduce
any existing balance on a student’s account, with any remainder refunded via direct
deposit. Students who will return to live on campus for the 2020-21 academic year
will have their deposits rolled forward and applied to their 2020-21 academic year
housing contract.
Collecting Your Belongings and Checking Out
Currently, UNC is not processing room check-outs in order to comply with Colorado’s
Stay at Home order. We understand that this is difficult as many students are anxious
to retrieve their belongings. As soon as the Stay at Home order is lifted, students
will be able to sign up for a check-out time. Students should continue to check BearMail and unco.edu/coronavirus for the most recent updates. Rest assured that items will remain secure in rooms
until it is safe to retrieve them. At this time, the only exception for check-outs
is for international students with a documented international flight scheduled.
STUDENTS CONTINUING TO LIVE ON CAMPUS
UNC is pleased to continue to offer housing and dining services to those students who need to remain on campus. During Colorado’s Stay at Home order, students must stay in their rooms except for essential activities to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Essential activities include receiving medical treatment, picking up meals from Holmes Dining Hall, outdoor health and fitness activities (following social distancing protocols), buying food, doing laundry, and using the restrooms.
Front desk operations are unavailable during the Stay at Home order but will be resumed as soon as they are allowed. If you need assistance from a staff member, contact your RA on Duty, whose cell phone number is posted by your front desk.
ARLINGTON PARK APARTMENT RESIDENTS
Arlington Park Apartments will remain open and are not a part of the prorated credit voucher due to the 12-month lease. Residents may petition for release if they meet the criteria. If you would like to petition for release, you can do so by completing the Petition for Release form.
OFF-CAMPUS STUDENTS WITH DINING PLANS
Students who stopped using their meal plans after spring break will receive a dining credit applied to their student account for Fall 2020. The credit will be calculated from Monday, March 23 through Saturday, May 9, 2020. It will be visible in Ursa on a student’s Academic Year 2020-21 financial aid offer by late May and will be applied to Fall 2020 student account balances. Unused Dining Dollars will roll forward into Fall 2020 as Dining Dollars. If your credit is not used for the academic year 2020-21, it will be forfeited at the end of May 2021.
If you are a graduating student with no outstanding student account balance, your credit will be processed as a refund. Students who fulfill all graduation requirements can contact the financial aid office to initiate this refund.
During this time of challenge for our community of Bears, we are hopeful that each of you and your families remain safe and healthy. Please continue to check UNC’s Coronavirus website for the most up-to-date information as well as FAQs. If you have questions, please make use of the Coronavirus hotline at 970-351-4848 or email coronavirus@unco.edu.
We appreciate your continued understanding as this situation evolves daily.
Stay well,
Katrina Rodriguez, PhD
Vice President for Student Affairs
Division of Student Affairs
