The Michigan Supreme Court denied college students' requests for refunds for disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, ruling Friday that students are not entitled to compensation for the shift to online classes or changes in campus housing.
The decision comes after the court heard arguments nearly a year ago but ultimately let a 2022 appeals court ruling stand. The appeals court had found that no specific promise of in-person classes was made when the 2019-20 school year began. Additionally, the court noted that housing contracts contained clauses addressing extraordinary circumstances, such as those posed by the pandemic.
The lawsuits, which targeted Eastern Michigan University, Central Michigan University, and Lake Superior State University, argued that students should receive refunds because the education and housing services they paid for were altered significantly. However, the court's decision extends to other public universities in Michigan that made similar changes during the pandemic.
In its ruling, the appeals court concluded that the plaintiffs "failed to demonstrate that the defendant universities breached any contractual agreement with them." The Michigan Supreme Court upheld this ruling with a brief two-sentence order, approved by a 5-2 majority.
Justice David Viviano, joined by Justice Richard Bernstein, dissented, arguing that the case should be sent back to the Court of Claims for further examination. Viviano pointed out that the plaintiffs were not arguing that the universities failed to provide the classes for which they registered but rather that the format of those classes had changed in a way that was inconsistent with their expectations.
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