Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

UMass to Adjust Student Room, Board and Parking Costs

  • 03/30/20

BOSTON, MA – University of Massachusetts President Marty Meehan and the chancellors of the UMass campuses in Amherst, Boston Dartmouth, and Lowell announced this week that the university will adjust student room, board and parking fees following the closure of residence halls in response to the coronavirus threat.

In a press release statement, President Meehan, UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble Subbaswamy, UMass Boston Chancellor Katherine Newman, UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Robert Johnson and UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacquie Moloney said:

“The financial impact of this crisis is causing real hardship for many of our students and their families. We hope that this adjustment of housing, dining and parking fees will help alleviate some of the stress they are enduring. The challenges that lie ahead for the university, its students, faculty and staff will be complex and difficult. We are confident that by staying focused on our mission our students will emerge as strong, innovative, highly skilled contributors to society.”

The Amherst, Dartmouth and Lowell campuses had more than 20,000 students living in university-owned residence halls. UMass Boston is adjusting dining and parking costs and is working with the private owner of its 1,070-bed on-campus residence halls concerning housing cost adjustments for its students.

The planned adjustments will decrease university revenues by approximately $70 million in the current fiscal year.

Under the plan, the adjustments will be applied to student university accounts. Students will then receive their net balance by direct deposit or check. Campuses are planning to notify students of their individual cost adjustments by April 17.

Featured

  • UTampa Breaks Ground on STEM Academic Facility

    The University of Tampa in Tampa, Fla., recently broke ground on one of its largest academic facilities ever, according to a news release. The Dickey Science Innovation Center will measure 153,000 square feet and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Designing Third Spaces That Do What AI Can't

    In 2026, education is evolving faster than ever. With AI reshaping everything from lesson planning to personalized instruction, schools and universities are turning their attention to what AI can’t replicate: spaces that foster collaboration, community, and creativity.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.

  • Minnesota District Converts Middle School into Community Hub

    White Bear Lake Area Schools in White Bear Lake, Minn., recently announced the end of a major renovation project that converted a former middle school into a new centralized district and community hub, according to a news release.