NC legislature passes a bill protecting universities from COVID-19 tuition refunds
The North Carolina legislature passed a bill Thursday that provides immunity for colleges and universities for legal claims related to COVID-19 closures for the 2020 spring semester. The law protects the several universities that have been sued by students after classes moved online this spring.
That includes legal complaints demanding tuition and fees refunds for institutions switching to remote classes and shutting down dorms, dining halls and other campus facilities.
Now, colleges and universities are protected as long as their decisions were made to protect the public health, safety, or welfare in response to the coronavirus pandemic and they offered remote learning options for enrolled students that enabled students to complete their coursework.
This new law will apply to universities in the UNC System, community colleges and private universities in the state and all actions taken on or after March 27.
“There are a number of class-action lawsuits that are being filed around the country relevant to COVID-19, and institutions of higher education against tuition and fees,” Rep. John Fraley, a Republican from Mooresville said Wednesday in the House Rules Committee.
“What this bill does is that it provides an immunity to the community colleges (and) the UNC system.”
Students sue over campus closing during COVID-19
College students have filed lawsuits against the UNC System and Duke University to get reimbursements for tuition and fees after campuses closed and classes moved online during the coronavirus pandemic. They say they were deprived of the ”true college experience” and want a refund.
East Carolina University, UNC Charlotte, UNC Asheville and UNC Wilmington and Duke were all named in separate complaints filed this spring that aim to be class-action lawsuits. Duke was also named in a class-action lawsuit along with several other public and private universities across the country.
In the lawsuits, students say the schools made the right call in stopping on-campus classes but say they didn’t get what they paid for, including “in-person instruction, access to campus facilities, student activities, and other benefits and services.”
The UNC System and Duke have distributed refunds for unused housing and dining services to students, but tuition and fees refunds have not been part of the deal.
This story was originally published June 26, 2020 at 3:29 PM.
