Skip to main content
U.S.

University of Delaware settles COVID lockdown suit for $6.3 million

Media Landscape

MediaMiss™This story is a Media Miss by the right as only 10% of the coverage is from right leaning media. Learn more about this data
Left 52% Center 38% Right 10%
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News

The University of Delaware agreed to settle a lawsuit over the university’s decision to shut down its campus and halt in-person classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the settlement, the university agreed to pay $6.3 million to some 21,000 current and former students.

Despite the settlement, the university continues to deny all allegations of wrongdoing. At issue in the lawsuit is the tuition the university collected during that time.

More than 17,000 undergrads were enrolled at the university in the spring of 2020. The university collected more than $160 million in tuition that semester.

The plaintiffs argued that before the pandemic, the university treated in-person and online classes as separate offerings, and charged more for some in-person classes than their online equivalents. The lawsuit also noted the University of Delaware also charged students fees for on-campus amenities like the gym, student centers and the health center, despite the student not having access to those services during the shutdown.

According to Straight Arrow News’ exclusive Media Miss tool, this story is mostly being covered by sources on the left and in the center.

Tags: , , ,

THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE HAS TO PAY OVER SIX MILLION DOLLARS TO SETTLE A LAWSUIT.

THAT LAWSUIT — OVER THE UNIVERSITY’S DECISION TO SHUT DOWN ITS CAMPUS AND HALT IN-PERSON CLASSES DURING THE PANDEMIC.

AT ISSUE IN THE LAWSUIT IS THE TUITION THE UNIVERSITY COLLECTED DURING THIS TIME.

MORE THAN 17-THOUSAND UNDERGRADS WERE ENROLLED AT THE UNIVERSITY IN THE SPRING OF 2020.

THE UNIVERSITY COLLECTED MORE THAN 160 MILLION DOLLARS IN TUITION THAT SEMESTER.

THE PLAINTIFFS IN THE LAWSUIT ARGUED THAT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC — THE UNIVERSITY TREATED IN-PERSON AND ONLINE CLASSES AS SEPARATE OFFERINGS — AND CHARGED MORE FOR SOME IN-PERSON CLASS THAN THEIR ONLINE EQUIVALENTS.

STUDENTS ALSO NOTED THAT THE UNIVERSITY CHARGED THEM FEES FOR THE GYM, STUDENT CENTERS, AND THE HEALTH CENTER — DESPITE NOT HAVING ACCESS TO THOSE SERVICES DURING THE SHUTDOWN.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE ON THIS STORY.

SURPRISINGLY — IT’S MOSTLY BEING COVERED BY SOURCES ON THE LEFT AND IN THE CENTER.

TYPICALLY — THE RIGHT IS MORE LIKELY TO JUMP ON STORIES ABOUT INSTITUTIONS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR PANDEMIC-RELATED LOCKDOWNS.

SOME 21-THOUSAND CURRENT AND FORMER STUDENTS COULD RECEIVE CASH REIMBURSEMENTS FROM THIS SETTLEMENT.

DESPITE AGREEING TO THE SETTLEMENT — THE UNIVERSITY CONTINUES TO DENY ALL ALLEGATIONS OF WRONGDOING.