UMass Dartmouth Allowed Dzhokhar Tsarnaev to Carry $20,000 Balance While Awaiting Aid to Come Through
Amid revelations that alleged Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was attending UMass Dartmouth despite an outstanding bill of more than $20,000, the college said that students can remain enrolled without full payment if loans and financial aid are expected to come through.
A university spokesman declined to discuss the Tsarnaev situation in particular, citing federal privacy law. But he said students in certain circumstances may continue their classes with significant bills for tuition and room and board.
“A student who has an outstanding bill in general would still be allowed to register if they can document extenuating circumstances,” said John Hoey, the university’s assistant chancellor for public affairs. “We monitor it throughout the year.”
An unpaid balance of $20,000, however, is unusual, Hoey said. “Most balances are relatively low,” he said.