Pictured above: The university — which ordered most residents to leave campus by April 6 — announced a partial refund for students’ meal plans on April 2.
Thomas Iacobucci | The Crow’s Nest
By Dylan Hart
The university’s dining services department has offered partial refunds to students who have left or plan to leave campus early due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Additionally, the campus has suspended its move-out period that was originally scheduled for April 8–May 10, in accordance with Gov. Ron DeSantis’s statewide stay-at-home order.
“Students and families should NOT return to campus until notified otherwise,” Housing and Residential Education said in an email to campus residents April 2.
“We do not anticipate move-outs will begin before mid-May,” the email said. “USF will announce a new move-out plan after the Executive Order is lifted. Until then, personal items will remain secured in students’ rooms.”
Residents were ordered to leave campus last week by noon on April 6, unless they were granted an exception due to specified hardships. An email on March 26 said that meal plans would “remain active” for students who have been approved to stay on campus.
Departing residents will receive “a partial meal plan credit” for the amount of unused money left in their account by April 10.
“It is important to note that the amount of any credit will first be used to reduce any existing balance in the student’s Oasis account, with any remaining credit refunded to the student,” the email said.
The Reef also reduced its operating hours last week. It is now open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Dining areas in the University Student Center are also closed.
A later email from the university’s housing department also told students remaining on campus to take extra caution not to lose their keys or student ID, as a lockout “may require a staff member to travel to campus.”
Additionally, residents are no longer allowed to bring guests to campus.
The university has not reported any new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, since March 28.
