Villanova class action overview:
- Who: Villanova University is facing a class action lawsuit from plaintiff Meredith Faw.
- Why: Villanova is accused of charging full rates for in-person tuition while only offering online courses and no campus access due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Where: The Villanova COVID-19 lawsuit was filed in federal court in Pennsylvania.
Villanova University is facing a class action lawsuit for charging full tuition to students in the Spring 2020 semester while only offering online courses and no campus access due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Villanova took unfair advantage of the unprecedented situation by retaining all tuition and fees while passing on the losses to students, the lawsuit argues.
“It cannot be disputed that the circumstances underlying this legal action are unfortunate and unprecedented,” the Villanova class action says. “However, the students did not choose these circumstances, and they certainly did not agree to pay tuition and fees for online-only education and services.”
The lawsuit is asking Villanova to return the prorated amounts of tuition and fees for the accommodations and access that students did not receive while completing school from home rather than being on campus during the semester.
Full-time undergrads allegedly paid more than $27K for in-person schooling in spring 2020
Full-time undergraduate Villanova students were charged $27,275 for schooling plus a $180 general fee and $185 health and wellness fee, the Villanova COVID-19 lawsuit claims.
Villanova markets its campus and amenities as a large portion of the value of attending the university, saying its “stunning 260 acres are nestled in the safe, storied and lush Main Line, just 12 miles (19 km) west of Philadelphia, the most historic city in the United States” in its marketing materials.
Students like plaintiff Meredith Faw, however, paid the full amount but did not have access to the benefits of campus during that semester.
Cornell University previously agreed to pay $3 million to resolve claims that it overcharged students for tuition during the spring 2020 semester after it moved to online due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Did you pay for college in spring 2020 and feel you were overcharged? Let us know in the comments.
The plaintiff is represented by Scott J. Ferrell of Pacific Trial Attorneys APC.
The Villanova class action lawsuit is Faw v. Villanova University, Case No. 2:23-cv-03897-CMR, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
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