Can’t Make A Clean Break

(I am an office manager for a university department that teaches laboratory courses, which all have an automatically charged lab breakage fee. A mother calls me regarding the fee her daughter was charged. It is almost halfway into the semester now.)

Me: “[Department Office], how may I help you?”

Mother: “My daughter just dropped her lab course, and we need to get her breakage fee refunded.”

Me: “I am sorry, but we are not able to issue refunds for the breakage fee.”

Mother: “Why not?! Can’t you issue a pro-rated refund?”

Me: “We cannot issue refunds.”

Mother: *in a very condescending voice* “Then perhaps a review of your policies is in order. It is absurd that parents are still having to pay this fee even if the student is no longer taking the class.”

Me: “Ma’am, it’s $10.”

Mother: “EXACTLY!”

Me: “Ma’am, I am sorry I cannot accommodate you.” *click*