The University of South Florida St. Petersburg on Thursday said it will offer partial credit towards future housing costs for more than 350 students who were unable to return home after Hurricane Milton damaged a downtown dormitory.
The students had circulated an online petition requesting compensation after the Pelican Apartments in downtown St. Petersburg experienced “water intrusion,” according to USF spokesperson Carrie O’Brion. No student property was damaged, apart from one area rug, she said. But the dorm will remain closed for two weeks as maintenance workers inspect and repair the building.
School administrators repeatedly denied pleas for compensation before reversing course in a 5 p.m. Thursday email to students. The decision comes after the petition had received more than 1,100 signatures and inquiries from the Tampa Bay Times…