Arizona Universities Class Action Requests Coronavirus Refund

The Arizona Board of Regents has been sued by students who say their room and board fees were not refunded following the coronavirus outbreak.

Students and parents in the Arizona class action lawsuit claim that steep room and board fees should have been refunded after universities in the state closed their dorms due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Plaintiffs in the case claim that the issue affects more than 100,000 students from the University of Arizona, Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University.

According to the coronavirus class action, the universities did the right thing when they transitioned to online learning to avoid a potential coronavirus outbreak. However, they argue that students and parents deserve to have their room and board refunded as dorms have been closed.

At Northern Arizona University, room and board fees reportedly amount to $10,780. At Arizona State, fees are higher – costing students $13,510 at the university’s Tempe campus. At the University of Arizona, the fees are similarly around $13,350.

Have you been denied a refund for school, trips, or other expenses canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak? Click here to get legal help.

“It is unconscionable for them to attempt to keep the many thousands of dollars in room and board fees they collected from each student, even though they have terminated the services that these fees covered,” one of the class action attorneys said in a press release.

Although 1,300 students remain on campus, a Northern Arizona University spokesperson told the Arizona Daily Sun that more than 80 percent of students have returned home due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The only students remaining are reportedly international students, out-of-state students who don’t want to return to a high risk area, students without other housing options or students who have high risk family members.

Despite only a minority of students living in campus housing at the Northern Arizona University and other state schools, the Arizona Board of Regents reportedly refuses to refund room and board which the plaintiffs say is “unlawful and unfair.”

According to ABC 15, Arizona State and Northern Arizona University are unable to refund students due to the costs of keeping campuses open and moving classes to an online format. The news source reports that the University of Arizona is providing their students with three options. First, stay in the dorms for the semester. Second, a 10 percent refund. Third, a 20 percent credit to be applied to next semester.

The Arizona universities class action claims that these measures aren’t enough. The plaintiffs seek a full refund of their room, board and other related fees for the spring semester of 2020.

“College is already a monumental expense for students and their families, and to essentially offer them no relief, particularly during a time when millions of Americans are hurting financially, is woefully inadequate, tone-deaf, and needs to be made right,” Class Counsel noted in a coronavirus outbreak class action statement.

“That’s what we aim to do with this lawsuit – encourage accountability, empathy, and simple fairness.”

In addition to prompting a coronavirus outbreak class action lawsuit, the issue has led students to start online petitions. As of March 31, a petition asking for refunds for room and board has garnered more than 1,700 signatures. A similar petition, asking for a full refund of these fees or at least a larger credit towards next semester, has more than 3,000 signatures.

Consequences of the Coronavirus Outbreak

Numerous consumers have taken legal action in wake of the global coronavirus outbreak. The global health crisis has resulted in countless legal issues, leading consumers and businesses to file lawsuit or class actions to protect themselves and their legal rights.

For example, high school students and their parents have also taken action in a class action lawsuit due to an alleged lack of refunds. According to the complaint, Education First has cancelled a variety of international trips for high school students due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Parents of children who were scheduled to go on these trips have reportedly been denied refunds based on unreasonable contract clauses. Even after several parents took legal action and involved the Arizona attorney general, Education First still allegedly refused to fully refund trip costs.

Plaintiffs and the proposed Class are represented by Adam Levitt, Amy E. Keller, and Laura E. Reasons of DiCello Levitt Gutzler LLC; Matthew S. Miller of Matthew S. Miller LLC; and Robert D. Ryan of the Law Offices of Robert D. Ryan PLC.

The Arizona Universities Coronavirus Closures Class Action Lawsuit is Rosenkrantz, et al. v. Arizona Board of Regents, Case No. 2:20-cv-00613, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.

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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