Grad Student Sues Northwestern, Says Students Were Denied Services They Paid For When Classes Went Remote Over COVID-19
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A graduate student has filed a federal lawsuit seeking class-action status, taking on Northwestern University over COVID-19.
Nathaniel Polley, whom a news release said graduated from the Northwestern McCormick School of Engineering in June, filed the lawsuit late Friday in U.S. District Court.
The lawsuit argues that once Northwestern shut down in-person instruction for the pandemic back in March, it no longer could deliver the educational services and opportunities for which students had paid.
The lawsuit also said the university was "unjustly enriched" by collecting tuition.
Northwestern announced on March 11 that it was canceling all classes from March 31, until April 3, and all offering only remote learning until further notice.
The plaintiff is seeking a prorated refund of tuition, fees, and other related payments for in-person services, facilities, and other opportunities that students did not get to have because Northwestern went to all remote learning.
The university said Saturday that it does not comment on pending litigation.
