Media Coverage
Source: Bloomberg Law
Media Coverage
Press Contacts: Erik Cummins, Matt Hyams, Taina Rosa, Olivia Thomas
05.01.20
Undergraduates in the U.S. have sued more than 50 schools, demanding partial tuition, room-and-board and fee refunds after they shut down. Colleges will likely argue that they’re excused from past obligations because the pandemic and government shutdown orders made the regular delivery of services impossible, Bloomberg Law reported.
“Students generally have housing contracts, just like renters of an apartment, said Barry Burgdorf, a former general counsel for the University of Texas system who is now a special counsel at Pillsbury. “Families typically don’t have written agreements spelling out exactly what tuition covers.”
Some of the suits are seeking compensation for what is known as “diminution of value,” or the difference between the worth of an on-campus education and one delivered online, Bloomberg Law reported.
Still, courts have been reluctant to try to value one type of degree over another, according to Burgdorf. Another challenge: If judges don’t grant class-action status, most students wouldn’t find it worthwhile to pursue claims on their own.