BRONX TIMES REPORTER, O BTR CT. 8-14, 2021 9
are not relying on that as their
primary mode of communication,”
said Joan Beckerman,
a member of the Hostos Action
Committee. “But it’s compounded
when we realize that
CUNY’s central communications
offi ce didn’t do more to
inform students of their options
and the consequences
of the vaccination mandate
until after they registered for
their classes and paid for their
courses.”
The last day for CUNY students
to drop a class for a full
tuition refund was on Aug. 24;
and Aug. 31 for a 75% tuition
reimbursement.
Student protestors from
CUNY’s Queens College told
the Times that CUNY forced
professors to change their
courses from online-only to
hybrid and that faculty are allowed
to be unvaccinated and
get testing because of union
intervention.
“The main concern is
that dropping students from
classes can cause students
to lose fi nancial aid, scholarships,
their space in the honors
college,” a spokesperson
with a Queens College student
group told the Times. “Additionally
that students won’t be
refunded the money they paid
for these courses. There seems
to be very little empathy for
students.”
Hostos addressed the issue
of vaccination status in
a statement, but did not elaborate
on inquiries from the
Times’ regarding the topic of
tuition refunds or the current
fall semester.
“Hostos is working diligently
to respond to student
inquiries as it continues to follow
established College and
University protocol to maintain
the health and safety of
students, faculty and staff,” a
Hostos College spokesperson
said. “Throughout the pandemic,
Hostos has deployed all
available channels to keep the
campus community informed.
The College’s plans for reopening
are continually revised as
needed in accordance with
CUNY, CDC and NYSDOH
guidelines.”
CUNY employee union
group Professional Staff Congress
(PSC-CUNY), a supporter
of the vaccinate mandate,
noted in their letter to
Chancellor Rodriguez that
CUNY students should receive
tuition reimbursement if they
are dropped from their fall
courses.
“Moreover, CUNY should
work with fi nancial aid offi -
cers, the State, and the Higher
Education Services Corporation
to ensure that these students
are held harmless with
respect to their eligibility
for fi nancial aid,” the letter
stated. “We are concerned that
CUNY may keep the tuition of
students who are withdrawn
for non-compliance with today’s
September 27 proof of
vaccination deadline.”
That appears to be a very
real possibility, according to
Ariello Rodriguez, a Lehman
College student, who said he
has not been given a “clear answer”
on if he’ll get his tuition
money back if he’s dropped on
Oct. 7.
“Look, I get it. I didn’t get
vaccinated and there are consequences,
including not being
able to take classes this semester,”
said Rodriguez, who
said he is still unvaccinated.
“But why should they keep
my money when they lied to
me during registration and I
won’t be taking classes.”
A protest took place at Hostos
Community College in the Bronx on
Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021, over fears
that CUNY plans to withdraw unvaccinated
students from classes
without any tuition refund.
Campus action groups are calling
out CUNY administrators for an
“attempted money grab,” by not
adequately communicating its
vaccination mandate to students
during registration for the fall semester.
Photos Adrian Childress