Major operational changes and disruptions occasioned by COVID-19
have created a swell of contract disputes and new litigation in
various industries. The area of higher education is no different.
Faced with safety concerns and government stay-at-home orders,
universities across the nation have had to adjust, often by ceasing
in-person instruction, transitioning to remote learning, and
suspending on-campus services, including university-furnished
student housing. These adjustments have been met with class actions
filed by students seeking tuition and fee reimbursements or
abatements. We have been monitoring these cases closely as they
continue to flood into federal and state courts and have been
counseling our clients on what they can expect, possible defenses,
and mitigation of liability. We also note that the class actions
that have been filed are specific to the Spring 2020 semester. Now
that the 2019-2020 school year has wrapped up and universities,
colleges, and
