Up to 21,000 current and former University of Delaware students may be receiving cash settlements.
The University of Delaware has agreed to pay $6.3 million to settle a lawsuit filed by 5 students, and on behalf of all others similarly situated.
The lawsuit was filed over UD’s 2020 campus shutdown, and the halting of in-person classes because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The plaintiffs argued that in-person classes and online classes were previously treated as unequal, with online courses costing less. In addition, the university continued to charge students fees for in-person amenities, such as the gym, student centers, and the health center, despite students not being able to utilize them.
The University of Delaware told Delaware Public Media in a statement:
“The University of Delaware is proud of the integrated efforts of our faculty and staff to successfully transition more than 6,400 class sections from in-person to virtual instruction in Spring 2020 in the face of unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. While we disagree with Plaintiffs' claims, the University determined that resolving this lawsuit is in the best interest of our students and in order to remain focused on our mission to steer students along a fulfilling educational journey to earn their college degrees.”
In the court documents, it was also noted that the university would like to avoid further legal fees and costs and the uncertainty related to any litigation case.
Of the $6.3 million in the settlement, the plaintiffs’ attorneys will receive $2.1 million in fees, and up to $250,000 in reimbursement for expenses.
The five students acting as class representatives in the lawsuit are entitled to payments of $5,000 each.
The remainder of the money will be distributed equally among UD students who do not opt out of the settlement and paid tuition and fees for the spring 2020 semester.
