An AU student petitioned the University for a tuition reimbursement after being ill-advised to enroll in classes despite receiving a job offer.
Oscar Jacob, a senior in the School of International Service and College of Arts and Sciences, demanded AU reimburse the $20,733 charged for his fall classes in a Change.org petition.
Jacob accepted a full-time position with the Department of State in April for fall 2013, but needed a security clearance to work. However, he received his clearance on Sept. 23, the last day to drop classes with a 25 percent refund.
Jacob said he dropped all his registered classes within a week after Sept. 23. After four calendar weeks, there is no refund for withdrawing or dropping classes, according to the Student Accounts policies.
Jacob intended to take a leave of absence, but his adviser told him to register for classes in case he did not get clearance, the petition said.
He created a Change.org petition online on Nov. 18 after close friends and alumni encouraged him to take this issue public, he said. As of Nov. 26, the online petition has 1,467 signatures in addition to support on social media sites.
“The overwhelmingly positive reaction to my petition mobilized over 1,000 signatures in 24 hours,” Jacob said. “When trying to draw attention to a cause or injustice, it is important to reach past one’s first or second degree of separation.”
Jacob and the provost’s office reached an agreement on the reimbursement on Nov. 26, he said. However, Jacob did not comment on what this agreement was or what it entailed.
The University initially offered to write withdrawals as grades and a 25 percent refund or 12 internship credits, according to the petition.
When dropping all registered classes at the same time, as in Jacob’s case, the student must work with his department to determine his status at the University, according to the Undergraduate Academic Regulations.
Vice Provost of Undergraduate Studies Lynn Stallings said in a Nov. 20 email that the administration is looking into the case.
“We are aware of the situation and are gathering and reviewing the facts,” Stallings said in the email. “The student has been advised on the appropriate next steps that follow university processes.”
Jacob is now working full time at the State Department and not taking any AU classes.
“I think every university student has at some point had to make a tough choice regarding their educational finances, and this is why my petition struck a nerve in the student body and alumni base,” Jacob said.
