Syracuse University students will have to retrieve their belongings from campus housing before they can receive refunds for room and board, an SU official said Wednesday. 

All refunds will be prorated to March 23, the date SU discontinued on-campus instruction, regardless of when a student moves out, said Jennifer Uryniak, interim director of auxiliary services, in an SU News release.

SU announced March 16 that all classes will take place online for the remainder of the semester due to the coronavirus pandemic. The university encouraged all students living in SU housing to leave before the start of this week.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has restricted non-essential travel, and no students or families are allowed to clear out their dorm room or apartment until further notice, Uryniak said. Students who haven’t been able to move out can still apply for refunds starting on Friday, she said. SU has said it will provide additional dates for students to retrieve their belongings in the coming months.

The novel coronavirus causes COVID-19, a respiratory disease that has infected at least 458,000 people and killed at least 20,000 worldwide. Gov. Andrew Cuomo reported 30,811 cases in New York state as of Wednesday.

For students returning to SU next year, the prorated reimbursements will be applied to housing and food accounts rather than directly refunded, Uryniak said. For students who don’t plan to live in university housing or purchase a meal plan next year, the credit balances will be applied to tuition, fees or any other billed charges for the 2020-21 academic year, she said. 

Prorated meal plan credits of up to $1,000 will be added to students’ fall 2020 SUpercard food balance and won’t expire until the end of the spring 2021 semester, Uryniak said. For meal plan credits over $1,000, students can request the excess money be credited to their bursar account, she said. 

SU will also reimburse students for residential internet and cable fees once they meet the conditions to have their room and board payments reimbursed, Uryniak said. Students can also receive parking fee refunds by mailing their parking pass and other devices, such as garage openers and swipe cards, to the Parking Office, she said. 

Students planning to study abroad next year can have their reimbursement credited to their bursar account to be used for their study abroad expenses, Uryniak said. 

Students transferring from SU will receive direct housing and meal plan refunds once the university receives confirmation of their transfer, Uryniak said.