By SUSAN JONES
The University of Pittsburgh has agreed to pay a $7.85 million settlement in a class action suit first brought in 2020 by six students seeking a partial refund of tuition and fees after the pandemic forced the University to move to remote learning in spring 2020.
The suit was initially dismissed in April 2021 by U.S. District Judge William Stickman IV, who in his decision said, “The unforeseen circumstances relating to the pandemic and the response of governments and institutions were just that — unforeseen. When the governor of Pennsylvania declared a state of emergency, the University’s hands were tied as it was required to act in accordance with the measures put in place.”
The plaintiffs appealed the judge’s decision, and the dismissal was reversed in part by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in August 2023, and the case was reopened, with one of the plaintiffs dropping out.
The settlement received preliminary approval from the court on April 14, 2025. In it, Pitt continues to deny that it committed any wrongful act or violation of law or duty. The agreement says that Pitt “has decided to enter into this settlement … to avoid further expense, inconvenience and burden, and the uncertainty and risks of litigation.”
The deal covers all students who were enrolled in at least one in-person course during the spring 2020 semester at any of Pitt’s campuses and had their classes moved to remote learning as a result of the pandemic.
“Throughout the spring of 2020 and beyond, the University of Pittsburgh worked to prioritize public health interests and the safety of our students, faculty and staff,” a University spokesman said in response to the agreement. “Now that a settlement has been reached, the University looks forward to moving on from this matter and continuing to provide exceptional education to all of our students."
Eligible class members are entitled to receive a pro-rated share of what remains of the settlement fund after the payment of administration expenses, attorneys’ fees and service awards.
Eligible students do not need to do anything to receive their payout, court documents say. Checks will be mailed automatically to the last known mailing address on file with the University.
Students who want to receive their settlement via Venmo or PayPal, or who want to provide an updated address, must submit an election form within 45 days following the date the settlement goes into effect. Election forms can be filed online through the University of Pittsburgh settlement website once it is launched.
Settlement rebates will be based on a ratio of the total amount of tuition and fees assessed during the spring 2020 semester compared with how much each individual paid, minus financial aid and any related refunds already distributed. No eligible student will receive less than $50, the document says.
Pitt announced on March 11, 2020 — in the middle of spring break — that students should not return to campuses after the break. No classes were held the week of March 16, as faculty prepared to move classes online. Remote learning began March 23 and continued through the end of the semester. An online commencement was held on April 26, 2020.
In announcing the campus closures, then-Chancellor Pat Gallagher said, “Students didn’t come to Pitt because they wanted to take online classes — this is not ideal. This is a balancing act between trying to maintain our mission so that our students can make progress to a degree, while we take these steps to, in essence, have sort of large-scale social distancing.”
Students living in University housing did receive a pro-rated rebate for the roughly six weeks they were not on campus.
According to court documents, a final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for July 7, 2025. Settlement notices will be sent by mail or email, and the settlement website will be established, within 45 days of the deal’s April 14 preliminary approval date, according to the agreement.
Payouts will be issued to eligible class members within 60 days of when the settlement receives final approval.
Several other universities also have settlement similar class action lawsuits, including Penn State which agreed earlier this year to a $17 million deal that will bring rebates to 72,000 students impacted by campus closures in 2020, according to the Centre Daily Times.
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
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