Feds Say UH Manoa Overcharged Disabled Dorm Residents

The University of Hawaii Manoa violated federal law by overcharging disabled students for dorms, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

Disabled students, who may require special accommodations such as single occupancy rooms, paid the standard room rate though they should not have been charged extra to accommodate their medical needs, according to a letter sent to the university by the DOE Office of Civil Rights.

The university refunded more than 40 students a total of about $100,000 for unnecessary dorm charges over the past two school years, according to UH spokesman Dan Meisenzahl. That’s an average of $2,400 per student.

The university’s housing policies at that time also required disabled students who needed air conditioned rooms to pay for the installation, usage and subsequent removal of the air conditioner, the Office of Civil Rights wrote. Those policies have since been changed, according to the letter.

Read more: http://www.civilbeat.org/2018/03/feds-say-uh-manoa-overcharged-disabled-dorm-residents/