Cornell to pay $3M to settle suit over 2020 COVID restrictions

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Cornell University has agreed to pay $3 million to settle a 2020 class-action lawsuit filed by students after the Ivy League school shut down in-person learning during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

If a student was enrolled at the Ithaca, New York-based institution during the spring 2020 semester, they might be eligible for a portion of the settlement that stems from Alec Faber’s initial suit, according to a legal notice posted on the school’s website last week.

The April 2020 lawsuit accused Cornell of either refusing to reimburse or not adequately returning money to students for tuition, fees and other costs that they paid for when typical operations were disrupted by the virus.

“While closing campus and transitioning to online classes was the right thing for the Defendant to do, this decision deprived Plaintiff and other members of the Class from recognizing the benefits of in-person instruction, meals, access to campus facilities, student activities, and other benefits and services for which they had already paid fees and tuition,” Faber’s lawsuit claimed.

Cornell denied breach of contract and other wrongdoing allegations in its Sept. 21 notice.

However, the school said that in the “interests of both the University and its students in prompt resolution of the matter, the University and Plaintiffs have agreed that the University will pay $3,000,000 into a settlement Fund to resolve this action.”

In-person classes were canceled by mid-March 2020 and most students were ordered to vacate the campus by the end of March.

Students were pleading for refunds tied to fees and charges and even began a petition calling for some of their money back, according to the lawsuit.

Lawyers for the plaintiff could not be immediately reached for comment.

“Cornell is pleased to have reached this settlement, which both sides believe is in the best interests of all parties,” Joel M. Malina, vice president for university relations, said in a statement.

Students have the option to opt out of the payment or object to the possible settlement by Nov. 9.

The school has more than 24,000 enrolled students, according to legal papers.

A final approval hearing is scheduled for Dec. 13. 

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