UST eyes refund for unused fees due to impact of COVID-19 crisis

The University of Santo Tomas (UST) is expected to refund unused fees for the academic year 2019-2020, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Based on the May 1 memo issued by the UST Office of the Secretary General, the Office of the Vice Rector for Finance (OVRF) will consult with each academic unit to determine used and unused  fees for the second half of the academic year.

Clearly unused fees such as retreats or field trips will be refunded 100%, while other fees may be refunded to as high as 50% as applicable.

“Considering the complexity of the work to be done in computing refunds, the OVRF recommends that whatever amount is to be refunded be credited instead for the next term, except in the case of graduating students and those who will make a direct request for cash refund due to financial necessity,” the memo quoted Vice Rector for Finance, Fr. Rolando Castro, as saying.

Sought for clarification on which specific unused fees will be subject to refund, the UST Office of the Secretary General deferred comment.

“The Office of the Vice Rector for Finance is processing the refund of fees. We [have to] defer answering specific questions because we don’t have any information about it yet,” said the UST Office of the Secretary General in a statement given to GMA News Online.

“But rest assured, in due time, specific details will be made available by the UST Office of the Secretary General,” it added.

The same memo also stated that UST will also review its planned tuition increase for the next school year, which will be fine-tuned with the “new normal” and in consideration of the continued implementation of online learning.

Also, the memo provided that students with remaining overdue accounts in the second semester of the ongoing academic year will still be allowed to enroll for the next academic year.

Staggered payments for unsettled balances will also be allowed until December 2020.

Afffected by the pandemic, the UST was unable to normally finish the school year.  Instead, the administration ordered the faculty members to keep a maximum three gradable assessments per course for the remaining school days.

“There will be regular meetings of student leaders and college deans to address concerns and needs,” the memo added.

Moreover, the UST assured its students that the Office of the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs would find a remedy for those who failed to participate in the online learning scheme implemented during the quarantine period. —Llanesca T. Panti/LBG, GMA News