This message was sent to Â鶹AV undergraduate students from Kari A. Fazio, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administrative Officer, on Tuesday, March 31, 2020.
Dear Students,
I hope all of you are doing well and that you, your family and friends are healthy. I am sure you are facing many challenges in adjusting to this unprecedented situation. Faculty and staff across the College are working hard to help you continue your coursework and to address issues as they arise.
I write today with additional information about financial support for students in light of the move to remote learning that the College had to make due to efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Room and Board reimbursement for those students who have moved out of the residence halls based on COVID-19 following spring break: For those eligible, financial credit for the remainder of Room and Board for the semester will be proportionate to the approximate time at which a student moved out of their campus residence.
- The maximum basis for the calculation will be 52% of the semester’s room and board charges adjusted for financial aid, as applicable.
- The maximum adjustment would apply to students who left at spring break and whose families paid the full cost of attendance, including tuition, room and board, and fees.
- Those leaving later would get a lesser amount as a credit, as would those whose costs are covered in part by grant aid.
- Although the amount of the credit will be determined based on each student’s financial aid for the semester, the College is setting a minimum credit of $1,750, which is significantly more than the amount the calculation would have otherwise generated for many students.
- Credits will be reduced by the $500 payment that students have already received from the College.
The amount of credit for each student will be applied to any outstanding balances on the student account. For students who are on a payment plan, the credit will be applied to reduce the final payment. If this activity results in a credit balance on the account, the student will receive a refund via direct deposit or by check mailed to a student’s permanent address.
Our staff is working hard to expedite the process of calculating and posting these refunds where applicable by April 27th.
We have heard from several families who have asked to donate the refund they receive to support the additional costs to the College. Thank you for these generous inquiries. If you are interested in doing this please email studentaccounts@brynmawr.edu, and we will process the refund accordingly, as well as provide documentation of the charitable contribution.
Student Wages: Second, we understand that students are experiencing hardship due to lost wages and we are doing our best to address those concerns. While the CARES Act allows colleges to continue to spend work-study money to pay lost wages, Bryn Mawr has already paid that work-study money to our students during the earlier part of the year, so this is not a source of funds to address this need. Thus, we have needed to move resources from other critical areas. As a result of this effort, all students who worked for the College in the spring semester will receive a lump sum $300 wage payment. Like all student wages, this sum is subject to the usual employment taxes. We are working to get this paid in the next pay period. This payment will go to students who have needed to remain on campus as well as those who have left. We also remind students that they can contact their supervisor or check the to learn of possible remote work options.
I thank you for your patience as we work through this process. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Best wishes,
Kari Fazio
Â鶹AV
610-526-5641
kfazio@brynmawr.edu