Colleges Face Student Lawsuits Seeking Refunds After Coronavirus Closures

Anya Kamenetz:

Columbia, Brown, Penn, Purdue — universities with hallowed traditions, proud alumni and another thing in common: Right now they’re being sued by disgruntled students.

The students claim that when campuses shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic, they should have been entitled to more of their money back. And the list of institutions facing such challenges is growing, including private institutions and entire public systems in California, Florida, North Carolina and Arizona.

The cases — now dozens in all — are raising difficult questions about what truly makes a college education valuable.

Several law firms are handling these suits. One of the most prolific is Anastopoulo Law Firm in South Carolina, which specializes in personal injury. The firm has a colorful background: Its founder, Akim Anastopoulo, spent several years known as Judge Extreme Akim on a court television show called Eye for an Eye, where he meted out revenge, not just cash penalties, to losing parties.

His firm has set up a website, CollegeRefund2020.com, to recruit plaintiffs for these suits and has filed more than 30 so far.