A top Miami University official said in an email earlier this month that housing and meal plan refunds are totaling "tens of millions of dollars."

Miami also recalled study abroad programs, leading to more refunds and, ultimately, lost revenue.

Northern Kentucky University told The Enquirer it plans to refund about $2.5 million in parking, dining and housing fees.

The refunds serve as an initial blow to university budgets, which won't be immune to the circumstances ravaging the economy as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

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"It is increasingly clear that this will be a long-term situation with potentially grave economic consequences," wrote Miami Provost Jason Osborne in his email to faculty.

But the scale of the problem remains uncertain.

"No one knows what the fall will bring," said Jeff Cramerding, the director of contract administration for the University of Cincinnati chapter of the American Association of University Professors.

The dean of Miami's College of Arts and Sciences, Christopher Makaroff, wrote earlier this month to department leaders that enrollment could dip and students may not be able to return to campus in the fall.

"I assume if we cannot have classes on campuses, that would cause an erosion in enrollment," Cramerding said, citing fields not conducive to remote learning such as drama, music, engineering and medicine.

He added that the focus at UC has been on shifting to online learning and moving off campus with administrators in "triage mode."

Stimulus funding from the federal government will help, but it's unlikely to be sufficient, according to Monica Posey, the president of Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.

The community college has spent funds to provide technology to students who lack it and emergency funds for those students facing particularly challenging circumstances. The costs are adding up.

"For us, anything in our budget is significant," Posey said, adding that officials are working to avoid tuition refunds by focusing on ensuring student success amid the shift to remote learning.

Another concern for Posey is a potential decrease in state funding should lawmakers implement budget cuts to offset declining tax revenues.

The $2 trillion federal stimulus bill passed by Congress and signed by President Donald Trump includes an estimated $14 billion for higher education. But that amount is less than one-third of the $50 billion requested by the American Council on Education, according to Inside Higher Ed.

How much will Cincinnati area institutions receive from the stimulus>

The American Council on Education estimates Cincinnati State will get about $4 million.

Half of the stimulus funds for higher education must be used for student financial aid grants. The other half can be used by institutions for expenses, such as lost revenue and the cost of converting to distance learning.

NKU will receive an estimated $8.8 million in federal relief.

“NKU has a strong balance sheet, and our net position has increased over the last two fiscal years," said Mike Hales, chief financial officer, in a statement.

But the virus's effect on enrollment remains uncertain.

"Once registration begins, we will have a better understanding of how COVID-19 impacted enrollment," Hales said, referring to the highly contagious respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus.

Hales added that an additional $3 billion was appropriated for states to invest in key government functions, though Kentucky's share and how it will be used remains undetermined.

Miami is projected to receive about $13 million in federal stimulus funding, an amount that won't cover the "tens of millions" the university has already refunded to students for unused housing and meals.

Miami, which did not provide responses to questions for this story, is considering cutting up to about 150 visiting assistant professors to alleviate budget concerns, according to dean Makaroff's email.

UC will receive an estimated $23.5 million in stimulus funding across its main, Clermont and Blue Ash campuses. A UC spokesperson did not respond to questions for this story.

John McNay, the president of the AAUP's Ohio Conference, said with a sputtering economy, more people will likely look to enroll in higher education to enhance their skills and employability.

"We need to be able to serve those people," McNay said.

He added that Ohio higher education institutions have funding that could be shifted to academics amid the crisis, pointing to reporting on Cleveland.com that found 10 public universities in the state had spent nearly $200 million in student fees and other non-athletic sources to pay for athletics.

UC and Miami were among the 10 institutions.

"We understand that everybody is going to be facing challenges in this environment," McNay said. "What we want our university administrations to do is focus on the core mission: instruction and research."

The local universities aren't alone in facing big payouts.

For example, Kent State University on Monday announced its refund policies for parking, room and meal plans, which is expected to come at a cost of $14 million to the university.

The Akron Beacon Journal contributed to this report.