Updated May 8 at 4:55 p.m.
IU student Justin Spiegel is suing the university over COVID-19-related fees and expenses. His lawyer, Roy Willey of South Carolina, says his office has received a number of calls from students from multiple universities.
Wiley said the class-action suit is about fairness.
“The mom and pop bakery down the street can’t charge you for a bagel they don’t deliver to you tomorrow,” Willey said. “Colleges and universities should be no different. They shouldn’t be able to charge their customers for services and access they’re not providing.”
Willey said his firm has not filed complaints against any other Indiana schools but didn’t rule out the possibility for the future.
Original story below
A class action complaint has been filed against the IU Board of Trustees for COVID-19-related tuition reimbursements.
The complaint was filed May 6, by Indianapolis-based Cox Law Office and Charleston, South Carolina-based Anastopoulo Law Firm in the Monroe County Circuit Court.
The plaintiff is Justin Spiegel, an undergraduate student on the Bloomington campus from Illinois studying informatics, according to the complaint.
It is outlined in the complaint the university responded appropriately by moving courses online in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also argues that the plaintiff and those similarly affected should be reimbursed on a pro-rated basis for tuition and fees for services the university allegedly is not providing.
When asked about the complaint, IU spokesperson Chuck Carney provided the following statement.
"In the midst of a global pandemic that has wreaked havoc on our entire way of life, Indiana University has acted responsibly to keep our students safe and progressing in their education. We are deeply disappointed that this lawsuit fails to recognize the extraordinary efforts of our faculty, staff, and students under these conditions while it seeks to take advantage in this time of state and national emergency."
Claims made in a lawsuit reflect only one side of the case.
This story has been updated.
Complaint against Indiana University