On March 23, University President
Mark Schlissel notified the University
of Michigan community that spring
and summer terms classes would
be conducted remotely. Despite the
move to continue online instruction,
tuition for the spring/summer terms
will remain the same, University
spokesman Rick Fitzgerald told The
Daily.
“There will be no changes in tuition
and fees for the spring/summer
terms,” Fitzgerald wrote in an email.
“Spring/summer tuition is based on
the number of credit hours a student
is taking.”
While students’ summer plans
continue to change amid various
internship and job cancellations,
students said these cancellations
and the move to remote learning
are making them consider spring or
summer term classes. This is the case
for LSA sophomore Nathan Martin,
who will be taking summer courses in
lieu of working with one of the many
canceled internship programs he
applied to.
“I definitely wouldn’t have taken
Michigan spring/summer courses,
but I’m planning on taking summer
courses simply because I don’t see
myself as being able to do much else
with my summer,” Martin said. “I’m
on the lookout for remote internship
gigs, but those are pretty hard to come
by I feel.”
The cost per credit hour in spring
and summer terms is the same as fall
and winter. Students typically take
less credits in spring and summer than
in fall and winter.
In an interview with The Daily
March 27, Schlissel said not every
course originally expected to be taught
for spring and summer semesters may
not be because the ones that will will
be taught well with more preparation
for the remote teaching format.
“We probably won’t be teaching
every single course we planned to
teach, but the ones we teach are going
to be at a University of Michigan level
quality, we’ll have time to prepare,”
Schlissel said. “The students will get
the same kind of full credit they’d be
getting if they were taking the course
entirely in person. It’ll just be delivered
remotely, but the usual tuition will
apply.”
After
the
University
of
Michigan chose to extend the add/
drop deadline for classes until
April 21, financial aid recipients
— both on merit or need-based aid
— received a mass email from the
University on March 24 reminding
students to seek out resources
from the Office of Financial Aid if
needed.
While
extending
the
drop
deadline was meant to provide
academic
flexibility,
according
to Kedra Ishop, vice provost
for
enrollment
management,
students receiving University aid
were warned about the potential
consequences of dropping below
the 12-credit-hour requirement
for full-time student status.
Despite different financial aid
packages varying in eligibility
requirements,
including
credit
hours, the last part of the email
noted that the amount of aid a
student receives can be impacted
by a change in full-time status.
Though the email said aid “can
be impacted,” the message created
confusion among aid recipients
who interpreted the message as
stating students with any form of
need or merit-based aid will risk
losing their financial package if
they choose to drop below full
time.
Public
Policy
junior
Molly
Macleod,
recipient
of
the
University of Michigan Grant,
was initially misled by the email.
After moving off campus, Macleod
dropped a minicourse and lost
her on-campus job, but remained
a
full-time
student.
While
Macleod’s specific grant does not
require full-time status during
a typical school year, Macleod
assumed this message applied to
her.
“I read the email and I thought
that I have to remain full time,
otherwise I won’t get my financial
aid,” Macleod said.
In an email to The Daily,
Tammie Durham, assistant vice
provost and executive director of
financial aid, said financial aid
will not be impacted for students
who drop below full time.
“During
this
winter
term,
students
who
are
unable
to
complete a full-time course load
because of Covid 19 who started
the class prior to the pandemic
will not experience adjustments
in their aid,” Durham wrote. “All
students interested in federal
financial aid will be considered
as long as they are enrolled in a
minimum of six credits during any
given term. This is not a change in
policy.”
According to the Office of
Registrar website last updated on
March 27, undergraduates who
withdraw from a course after
March 10 through the last day of
classes will not receive a “W” on
their official transcript indicating
dropping the class; however, a
“W” will appear on the student’s
unofficial transcript.
michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Friday, April 10, 2020
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
University email spurs confusion regarding
financial aid packages, withdrawing classes
DESIGN BY LIZZY RUEPPEL
ANGELINA BREDE
Daily Staff Reporter
See AID, Page 3
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INDEX
Vol. CXXIX, No. 103
©2020 The Michigan Daily
N E W S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
O P I N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
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ANN ARBOR
The city of Ann Arbor
launched a billion-dollar plan
March 30 to make the city
carbon neutral by 2030.
The plan, named A2Zero,
includes
more
than
50
points aimed at slashing the
community’s 2.1 million metric
tons of carbon emissions to
zero in 10 years. This would
ideally be accomplished by
powering the electrical grid
with 100 percent renewable
energy, switching appliances
and vehicles to natural gas and
A2Zero forges ahead on
environmental initiatives
JULIA RUBIN
Daily Staff Reporter
City plans
CO2 goals,
neutrality
Students reflect on tuition for future term
Community discusses spring, summer course costs considering continuation of remote learning
DESIGN BY LIZZY RUEPPEL
See SUMMER, Page 3
Recipients express
concern over effect
of dropping credits
amid CARES Act
See CARBON, Page 3
JENNA SITEMAN &
CALLIE TEITELBAUM
Daily Staff Reporters