<p>Since Scott S. Cowen, the president of Tulane University, evacuated his New Orleans campus after Hurricane Katrina, he has fought to establish a temporary headquarters, reunite his staff, and get some computers working. Now he is grappling with a ticklish new issue: what to do with the millions in tuition that Tulane has collected for fall classes that are now canceled.</p>
<p>Mr. Cowen and the presidents of other New Orleans universities want to retain as much of the tuition as possible to help them meet payrolls and sustain their recovery, and some parents, especially those whose students are now at universities that have waived tuition, say they are delighted with that arrangement.</p>
<p>But Mr. Cowen is facing an outcry from other parents, including some who have already paid $20,000 to Tulane for the fall semester and are now facing new tuition at other universities. And some parents of students now enrolled in colleges providing free classes nonetheless want a refund from Tulane. </p>
<p>From what I understand, the universities providing free tuition are doing so with the understanding that Tulane, Xavier, Dillard and Loyola will get to keep the tuition that was already collected and use it to get back on their feet. If students who are being provided free tuition at other colleges demand their money back, the colleges may have second thought about letting them take courses. See the Boston Globe article about students from NOLA finding themselves at top universities. In the case of students who have to pay tuition to enroll elsewhere, perhaps the tuition they paid to NOLA schools should be reimbursed.</p>
<p>Yes, marite has described what most colleges are doing, which is in accord with AAU guidelines for the situation. These "host" colleges see their offer of free tuition as a way of making their own form of "charitable contribution" to Tulane/other Gulf Coast college. Where a student has not yet paid his/her Tulane/Gulf Coast tuition, but wishes to take advantage of visiting status at one of these host schools, the schools (typically; I'm sure there may be some variation) are charging tuition and holding it in escrow to donate to Tulane/Loyola or the appropriate Gulf Coast school.</p>
<p>Further, Tulane (as a Tulane parent, I can speak only for this institution) has provided much information via its emergency website, and will be posting more in coming days, re tuition issues. For example, it will credit fall tuition for the spring term if students choose not to undertake studies this fall; it will refund the appropriate amount of tuition $ to any student who is being charged tuition at the "visiting host" institution; it will refund the appropriate amount of tuition $ to any student who chooses to take only a few credits as a visiting student rather than a full load. Tulane has a special email address, called "twicepay" for use by any students who find themselves having to pay tuition elsewhere. President Cowen has pledged that no student will have to pay double tuition. He has also pledged to work on every individual tuition issue in a fair and equitable manner.</p>
<p>I am one parent who is perfectly satisfied with the arrangement. </p>
<p>The details of Tulane's policies (which are evolving as specific issues come to light) are available to any and all on the Tulane emergency website, for which access is not limited to Tulane-related individuals. Interestingly, the tail end of the article covers most of these policies, but the headline and opening paragraphs create a very different impression.</p>
<p>I think Tulane could have done a better job putting out information regarding tuition. There are still lots of unanswered questions. I know many who have paid full tuition at Tulane and are attending state schools that are charging them tuition or schools that the child had been awarded free tuition in the spring. In our case the schools we called all were not offering free tuition and some have since changed that policy.
When she chose Tulane it was the most expensive option of all her schools. It was the one place she did not get merit aid. But we wanted her to go where she wanted to regardless of cost. She is now attending a school that she was awarded almost full tuition. I wouldn't mind Tulane's policy if I knew she would get full credit for the course's taken this fall. I doubt if that will be the case. Her present school is on the quarter system. So she will have only completed 1 quarter by the time Tulane reopens. So I would be paying almost 20,000 for the fall quarter that would not count for anything at Tulane. I know several other Tulane kids who are attending UC's in Ca who are also unsure of how much value this quarter will be. Some who are seniors and are counting on graduating from Tulane. I am sure that this is a question that has been asked and has yet to be answered.
It is great that Tulane has extended its date to withdraw from the fall semester till the end of the month. At this point my D is seriously considering staying where she is and we might exercise that option.
I also want to say that I can't imagine many parents wanting to get their money back from Tulane plus receive free tuition at their visiting schools. That is not a lesson to teach our children.</p>