NORFOLK, Va. - As a result of a number of changes and financial uncertainty brought on by the global coronavirus pandemic, Old Dominion University will provide nearly $8.4 million in rebates to students for the spring 2020 semester.
ODU President John R. Broderick announced the news in a letter to the Monarch community Tuesday.
The 5,700 rebates will be for housing, meals and parking.
Broderick added that students who have an All Access plan may receive up to $2,500 from a combined housing and dining rebate, although each rebate will vary based on an individual's specific housing and dining plan. The rebates will be credited to student accounts in the coming weeks.
For more information about the rebates, click here.
Since many students have held part-time jobs on campus to help pay for their education, the university has committed $1.6 million to keep students employed through teleworking arrangements or through participation in the Learning and Earning Professional Development program. The program can be completed online each week and was created to give students an opportunity to continue their employment in cases where teleworking was not feasible. Broderick said ODU will also continue Federal Work Study payments for those students.
Other actions the university has taken to help students in finishing the spring semester include: Flexible academic policies offering more pass/fail and delayed withdrawal options, loaner laptops and Wi-Fi hotspots (with an investment of $100,000), emergency grants, extended payment dates and waiver of late fees.
Recognizing that many students may need even more help and that every dollar counts, ODU has changed the focus of its annual giving initiative to establish the Rise to the Challenge Fund, which will emergency relief for those experiencing unforeseen personal difficulties.
"Though COVID-19 continues to take a human and economic toll, I have been inspired by the ingenuity and resolve our students, faculty and staff members have shown in supporting one another and staying true to our educational, research and outreach mission. I know that, no matter the challenges that lie ahead, our Monarch community will persevere and succeed during this trying time," Broderick wrote.
