South Hennepin News

After the University of Minnesota closed campuses due to the coronavirus pandemic, university regents decided to give students a larger refund for housing. 

Originally, the university was going to refund all students living on campus a flat rate of $1,200 and students on other campuses $1,000. 

But university students complained that the University of Minnesota wasn't giving fair refunds since students typically pay over $5,000 a semester for room and board, according to MPR News.

Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington) announced legislation requiring Minnesota colleges and universities to give students large refunds for room and board costs since campuses are closed. 

"It is only fair that students receive refunds for room and board services that they are not receiving. Most of these students have already left campus because of the cancellation of in-person classes at Minnesota colleges and universities,” he told Bring Me the News. "If students aren’t living on campus, there’s no reason why they should be paying anywhere close to full price for room and board for the remainder of the semester."

On April 3, University of Minnesota regents decided to refund students about double that amount of the original refund, which will cost the school approximately $27.8 million, regents told MPR News. 

The university will now be refunding students for all of the unused housing, dining and parking fees since March 28, the day the stay-at-home order was issued. It will also return half of the students' service fees as well. 

Since each student is being refunded based on their unused housing, dining and parking, the amount refunded will be different for students. Regents said students on Twin Cities campus will receive a refund of about $2,400. 

University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel said "every cost is on the table" when addressing budgeting issues and administrative cost cuts, since it's unclear how the refunds will affect the school's budget.