Room and Board Rebates

In an effort to minimize the financial impact on students and families, Virginia State University will be making adjustments to room and board for all students residing in the residence halls with an effective date of March 18, 2020.  The University has worked to develop a refund/rebate protocol that is appropriate and fair while also taking into consideration the financial obligation for existing contracts and services.  As part of the university’s shared governance model, we had representation from the Student Government Association (SGA), Faculty Senate, and Staff Senate.  All approved the recommendation to move forward with the room and board rebates.   

The sum of these credits will be posted to your VSU student account and applied to any outstanding balance you have in the form of a rebate.  Once your outstanding balance is satisfied, any overage (rebate in excess of the amount you previously owed) will be refunded to you.  The average rebate amount is $1,327.  Rebates are expected to be placed on your account by Friday, April 10, 2020; the direct deposit and/or check is expected to available within 14 days.  

Questions and Answers Regarding Rebates: 

Q.  Has a final decision been made about providing refunds of Room and Board to students who were enrolled during the spring 2020 semester for students that were residing on-campus?

A. Yes. On Friday, April 10th, the University will notify students by email about these prorated rebates and the amount they should expect to receive of their housing and dining costs.

It required a sufficient amount of time to work through the details and find answers to some questions because this is a very unique situation.  We wanted to be very careful to make sure the University’s good intention of providing the appropriate response didn’t cause any problems with federal, state, and institutional policies and regulations.  

Q.  If I was a student that resided at the University Apartment at Ettrick (UAE), should I expect a refund? 

A.  No.  Students at the University Apartments at Ettrick (UAE) were not mandated to leave.  UAE is a private entity, and it operates like any other off-campus apartment complex.  If you decided to leave and return home to complete the remaining of the semester, you are still financially obligated for the terms of your lease agreement.

Q.  How will a student know how much they are getting?

A. The amount of the refund depends on the room type and dining plan for the semester. The average refunds will total $1,327, a combination of room and board.  We should have all the information necessary to process the rebates on or before April 10th, and funds should be available via direct deposit or check within 14 days.

Q.  How did you calculate the refund?

A.  The refund was calculated based on the room type, dining plan, and the length of time you remained in the hall.  The calculation determines how many days of the housing and dining plans were considered unused (days x daily rate).  At this point, the fixed costs contracts and services are deducted from the previous unused amount.  The net amount (Refund credit (minus)  Fixed Cost) will give you your rebate amount.  The average rebates are $1,327.  Please see the example below: 

Note:  If you currently have a balance due, the amount due will be deducted from your rebate amount.  If there is an overage amount, that amount will be refunded. 

Q.  What are Overhead Costs? 

A.  Overhead Costs are necessary deductions in order to sustain the future functioning of residence halls and dining services once restrictions associated with the pandemic are lifted, and students are allowed to return to campus.  The overhead costs assist in covering the debt on our residence halls, salaries of Residence Life employees, and other contractual obligations.   

Q.  How do I request a refund?

A.  If you have a credit balance on your student account, you do not have to request a refund of the credit balance; it will automatically be processed. 

Q.  Can I apply my housing deposit or room reservation fee to my rebate?

A.  No, unfortunately, the housing deposit and room reservation fee must be applied as a one-time on-line payment to our Payment Gateway Portal.  The accounting for these fees is a separate and distinct process. 

Q.  If I need to cancel or adjust to my monthly payment plan with TMS, how do I do this?

A.  If an adjustment is needed for your monthly payment or to cancel your plan, this will automatically be done by the Student Accounts Office.  If you are uncertain of how your planned amount may affect your student account, you can contact the Student Accounts Office at 804-524-5505 or email Bursar@vsu.edu.   If a payment you make creates an account credit, you will be able to request a refund. 

Q  If I have questions regarding the room and board rebates, who should l contact?

A.  Contact the Office of Student Accounts at (804) 524-5506, or email them at Bursar@vsu.edu.