Carnegie Mellon settles class action suit over COVID-19

Carnegie Mellon University has agreed to pay $4.8 million to settle a class action lawsuit filed by students who had their in-person classes moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

The settlement has been submitted for approval to Judge Robert J. Colville in federal district court in Pittsburgh. If approved, it will provide compensation to 13,337 students who were affected by the switch to remote learning.

Lawsuit over tuition refunds

The lawsuit, filed on May 15, 2020, argued that CMU students were entitled to refunds for tuition, fees, and other charges after their Spring 2020 classes were moved online. The students claimed they had an implied contract with CMU that guaranteed in-person instruction and that switching to online education breached that contract.

Additionally, the plaintiffs alleged that CMU’s decision to keep tuition and fees while providing remote learning resulted in unjust enrichment and conversion, meaning the university unfairly benefited at students’ expense.

CMU denies wrongdoing

While CMU denies any wrongdoing, the university agreed to the settlement to avoid further legal costs, uncertainty, and inconvenience.

“All participating students” who had at least one class moved online will receive a portion of the settlement. No student will receive less than $50. The final payment amounts will be determined based on a pro-rata distribution of the settlement fund.

Next steps

The proposed settlement is now awaiting final court approval. Once approved, eligible students will receive payments as part of the agreement.

This settlement follows similar lawsuits against universities across the U.S., where students sought tuition refunds after campuses closed and classes were moved online during the pandemic.