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More students are filing college tuition refund lawsuits after in-person activities were curtailed and classes went online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
At least three students have filed lawsuits against American University, alleging the college didn’t fulfill its educational promises after switching to an online experience.
According to The Eagle, American University’s student-run newspaper and online platform, the newest lawsuit was filed by College of Arts and Sciences senior Matthew Rabinowitz, who says he never entered into any type of agreement for online education through American University.
He is seeking refunds for spring 2020 tuition and fees that he says he is entitled to because the education that he received was not the quality for which he paid and he missed out on other related “collegiate experiences” when the physical campus closed.
Rabinowitz told The Eagle that after the classes switched to the online format, he found it difficult to adapt. He said he ended up failing one of his classes, which he is going to retake at a local community college in order to make up the credits he needs to ensure he graduates.
By not providing students with the in-person education that was promised, American University allegedly breached its contract, accuses Rabinowitz. He further alleges that the COVID-19 pandemic does not allow the university an automatic waiver to fulfill that obligation.
The spring semester at American University cost him $24,945 in tuition and fees for on-campus classes, but two of those months were spent learning online, according to his lawsuit.
According to the university’s website, tuition is not subject to prorated refunds, nor are charges for health insurance, technology, activities, sports center, and course fees.
College Tuition Refund Lawsuits Allege Unjust Enrichment
Rabinowitz’s lawsuit also accuses the university of unjust enrichment by keeping tuition and fees that were paid by students who agreed to receive an in-person education and related university services.
A similar lawsuit has reportedly been filed by an anonymous student in Massachusetts who alleges the educational experience was not as promised at Brandeis University after the Waltham campus closed and classes were only provided online.
The Boston Herald reports the lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court and accuses Brandeis of charging full tuition and fees “as if nothing has changed, continuing to reap the financial benefit of millions of dollars from students” even though there was “complete inability to continue school as normal.”
The unnamed student alleges in the tuition refund lawsuit that one professor failed to make up a week of canceled lectures while another posted PowerPoint slides and “disorganized notes” in lieu of providing any type of lecture online.
Brandeis University moved class that had more than 100 students to an online platform on March 16 and continued to hold online courses after spring break. All students had to move out of their residence halls by March 25.
The lawsuit acknowledges pro-rated credits were provided for room and board, but no refunds have been forthcoming or discussed in regards to tuition and other university fees.
Brandeis University published a statement on its website, saying, “Our students are receiving course credit, and making the same progress toward their degrees as they would otherwise. Online education is not less expensive to provide than in-person learning, and Brandeis has incurred significant unanticipated expenses around this transition.”
An address from Brandeis University President Ron Liebowitz dated May 1 indicates the university is anticipating revenue losses of more than $12 million for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2020, and that COVID-19’s impact on fundraising will mean an additional loss of $2 million.
Brown University and Boston University students also have filed college tuition refund lawsuits, according to CNBC. The students are seeking refunds of their tuition, room and board, and other expenses they incurred after the pandemic caused the campus and residence halls to close.
Both lawsuits allege the universities committed a breach of contract and gained unjust enrichment while the students purportedly received inadequate learning experiences when classes went online.
Other class action lawsuits have been filed against private and nonprofit and state-run universities from California to Rhode Island.
University administrators argue that students were able to earn the same number of credits toward their degrees. Students, however, believe that when many of their classes went online so quickly, professors were unable to create academically equitable materials.
When deciding whether to attend a private college, in particular, students say the overall immersive experiences of living with and attending classes with peers within the rich walls of history is a great selling point. COVID-19 closures denied them access to the experiences and level of education they paid for, students allege.
Join a Free Coronavirus College Refund Class Action Lawsuit Investigation
If your college or university closed because of the coronavirus, but you did not receive a refund for tuition, room and board or other fees, you may be able to join this coronavirus school refund class action lawsuit investigation.
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