Those 11 Northeastern students won't lose their fall tuition and room and board if they return to the school for the spring, but they're still suspended

Northeastern University announced tonight that it's reversed its decision to make 11 first-year students found in a room together forfeit roughly $28,000 in payments if they decide to re-enlist at the school for the spring - the money will instead go towards the cost of being at Northeastern then.

The 11, participants in what is normally a study-abroad program for students before they formally enter Northeastern, were booted earlier this month for disobeying university Covid-19 rules about social distancing and groups in a room at the Westin Copley, where more than 800 in the study-abroad program are living since they can't go abroad.

Northeastern said all 11 appealed their fall suspension to a student-conduct appeals board consisting of two administrators and a student and that the board voted to uphold the punishment.

However, the ultimate decision remains with higher-up officials and they decided to credit the payments towards the cost of the students' spring semester. The university added that even during their suspension, they will continue to have access to academic advisors and mental-health and other services.