UMass Amherst Will Adjust Student Room and Board Fees

President Marty Meehan and Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy announced March 27 that the university will adjust student room and board fees based on the date that the residence halls closed (March 22) through the end of the Spring 2020 semester for students who moved off campus or are unable to access the dining program.

In an email to students, Andrew Mangels, vice chancellor for administration and finance, explained the plans to adjust fees. An FAQ on adjustments is also available.

The email is as follows:

Dear Student,

President Meehan and Chancellor Subbaswamy announced today that the university will adjust student room and board fees based on the date that the residence halls closed (March 22) through the end of the Spring 2020 semester for students who moved off campus or are unable to access the dining program. In addition, parking fees will be adjusted in a similar manner in the process described below.   

UMass Amherst will reflect the cost adjustment as a credit on students’ online university accounts by April 17, 2020. These credits will be applied to any unpaid charges first, after which a refund will be issued where applicable. Students who are receiving a refund as a result of this cost adjustment will have three options for refund method: 

1.    Students may apply their refund toward their Fall 2020 tuition bill by completing the ‘Apply Credit to Future Terms’ form on the Bursar’s Office website no later than April 17.
 

2.    Students may take a cash refund for the current term. No action is required other than ensuring that you are signed up for direct deposit through the University’s Excess Express program. Instructions are available at www.umass.edu/bursar/refunds-and-excess-express. You must enroll no later than April 17.
 

3.    Students who do not take action as described above will be issued a paper check that will be mailed to their permanent address as listed in SPIRE. Due to the recent stay at home orders in effect for Massachusetts, the processing of paper checks to be mailed home could take up to four weeks. Students are strongly encouraged to enroll in Excess Express.

Refunds are expected to be issued within two weeks after the cost adjustment credit is applied to student accounts.

We appreciate your continued patience as we work through this process. Please visit the Bursar’s Office website for more updates at www.umass.edu/bursar and continue to receive university updates with regard to the coronavirus response at www.umass.edu/coronavirus.

Sincerely,

Andrew Mangels,
Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance