Students who vacated on-campus accommodation at the University of Limerick when the Covid-19 pandemic hit are to receive more than €3.4 million in rent refunds.
In a statement on Friday the university said Plassey Campus Centre (PCC) Ltd, the company which manages its on-campus accommodation, “has approved the return of rental income to the students who left their accommodation on foot of the government’s decision to close the university campus in March”.
The campus has over 2000 rooms and about 700 students remained on-campus during the lockdown.
All students due to check out or who have already left would be contacted by PCC to make arrangements for refunds on a case by case basis, a spokeswoman said. They would be refunded rent from the date they vacated their accommodation to the end of their term. The full amount would come to about €3.45 million.
Details of student accommodation provision for the 2020/2021 academic year is being finalised and would “be based both on the nature of the academic offering and the public health advice” said a spokeswoman.
“In compliance with Government public health directives, UL will facilitate online, remote, blended and face to face learning as well as other forms of interactive engagement for 2020-21.
“Semester 1 of the academic year 20/21 will commence on September 28 for all students. At this point, UL intends to offer students blended delivery of their academic programmes with some on campus face to face teaching as well as online teaching and learning.”
The feasibility of blended delivery of the education programmes is being explored, keeping in mind that the campus may have to close again at any time.
