The 2019 Novel Coronavirus, or COVID-19, remains a significant public health threat as we head into the 2020-2021 academic school year. Mary Baldwin University is committed to protecting the health and safety of students, faculty and staff and minimizing the potential for the spread of disease within our community. Safety protocols consistent with those recommended by the CDC and Virginia Department of Health have been implemented across campus and to address every aspect of student life. To be fully effective they require a strong commitment and full compliance from every member of the Mary Baldwin family.
As a residence hall student, COVID-19 may impact your housing experience if it becomes necessary to make public health-informed decisions in response to circumstances that are subject to rapid change. The provisions below are an addendum to the Room and Board Refund Policy and are applicable to all students living in University-operated housing. Students who are immuno-compromised or otherwise have health conditions that place them in higher-risk categories need to make personal decisions as to whether living in the residence halls can offer them the environment needed for their health and safety, as it is impossible to guarantee a housing option that does not present some level of risk for students to exposure to COVID-19.
If the University has to cancel room and board contracts due to circumstances related to the pandemic, room and board fees will be reimbursed on a prorated basis according to the schedule below. While we recognize the need to address students’ loss of services, we must also meet our financial obligations to maintain the financial health of the university. MBU must maintain personnel costs associated with housing administration and operation. Likewise, dining services must pay an outside contractor for all labor and associated costs of its operations. The prorated refund schedule has been developed with consideration for non-cancelable personnel and service commitments.
COVID-19 Related Room and Board Refund Schedule:
| Cancelation Occurs: | % of Room and Board Fees Refunded |
| 1st through 3rd week of classes | 60% |
| 4th through 6th week of classes | 40% |
| 7th through 8th week of classes | 20% |
| After the end of the 8th week of classes | 10% |
Self-isolation or quarantine - At any time, Student Health Services may require a resident to leave housing when that resident’s continued presence in the residence hall community poses a health or safety risk for the community. Residence hall students are required to comply with any direct request from Student Health Services or the Office of Student Engagement to leave their assigned space due to COVID-19 or a similar public health emergency and failure to do so would be a violation of this addendum and may subject students to emergency removal from their assigned space. Not all residential rooms or halls are appropriate for self-quarantine or self-isolation. If students are asked to quarantine or isolate, they may not be permitted to continue residing in their residential space and will be provided alternative housing arrangements at no additional cost, as needed and if available. Removal from housing to isolate or quarantine does not constitute a termination of a student’s room and board contract.