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

GOT A NEWS TIP?
Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail 
news@michigandaily.com and let us know.

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
michigandaily.com

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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

