Name: SCAD student sues school over unrefunded tuition in wake of coronavirus closing
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SCAD student sues school over unrefunded tuition in wake of coronavirus closing

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Jan Skutchjskutch@savannahnow.comView CommentsA senior illustration major at the Savannah College of Art and Design has sued the university for partial reimbursement of spring quarter tuition after the school closed down in response to the coronavirus outbreak.Markari Roehrkasse, who is scheduled to graduate after the spring quarter, filed the action in Chatham County Superior Court on April 28 for a class of herself and other SCAD students in similar positions.The suit, filed by attorneys Paul W. Painter III, W. Andrew Bowen and Constance Cooper, contended that SCAD notified students on March 12 that it was “closing all classrooms, laboratories, studios, recreational facilities, gyms, student centers, and other facilities and would be moving all classes to online learning for the Spring 2020 quarters.“As an art and design school, SCAD’s students rely heavily on the university’s physical resources and facilities for an effective education.”Those campuses include Savannah, Atlanta and Lacoste, France.Despite having paid her full tuition for the spring 2020 quarter and no longer receiving full benefits, she has been denied partial reimbursement of her tuition, the suit said.“SCAD transitioned all of its classes online, shut down on-campus services and activities and made it so that (Roehrkasse) has no reason to go on campus (and, in fact, it would be dangerous for (her) to do so),” the suit alleged. Roehrkasse “has not been offered any refund of tuition paid for the spring 2020 quarter.”“To be clear, this complaint does not seek to criticize SCAD’s decision to move class online,” the suit said, citing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention social distancing guidelines.The suit said other higher education institutions in the United States that have also switched to e-learning and have requested or permitted students to leave campus have recognized the upheaval and financial harm to students and their families from those decisions and have provided appropriate refunds.“SCAD, unfortunately, has taken the opposite approach,” the suit said.SCAD’s responseIn response, SCAD officials said on Friday, May 15, that, “The university announced two weeks before the spring quarter started the need to move all courses and instruction online due to the virus.“We wanted to be sure students had that time, as well as the first week of class, to decide whether they wanted to take classes in a completely online environment, or drop courses and receive a full tuition refund.“SCAD’s nationally recognized, award-winning, accredited eLearning program offers many degrees completely online and has for many years. Our tuition for online and on-ground courses at SCAD has always been the same.“Finally, if a student at SCAD is dissatisfied with an online course experience this spring, we have offered them the option to re-take that course for no additional tuition and in-person when on-ground courses are able to resume.”Class certificationThe suit seeks class certification and a declaration that SCAD wrongfully kept monies paid for tuition. It also seeks a jury trial to determine damages for breach of contract on the tuition, unjustified enrichment by keeping the entire tuition.The suit said the number of members in the class would be determined through discovery in the case.“SCAD has refused to refund Ms. Roehrkasse and the other class members any portion of their spring 2020 tuition, despite repeated requests made through telephone, email and online channels,” the suit said.As a result, SCAD has improperly retained monies paid by (Roehrkasse) and the class members for tuition, while (Roehrkasse) and other class members can no longer obtain the value or benefit of services for which they paid,” the suit said.It said SCAD “has improperly retained funds for services and activities it is not providing. No matter the excuse, SCAD’s actions are unlawful and unfair.”In addition, SCAD shortened its spring quarter by a week to nine weeks but retained full tuition for a full 10-week quarter, the suit said.Undergraduate tuition at SCAD is $12,525 for a 10-week quarter, or $1,252.50 per week, the suit said. Graduate tuition is $12,825 for a 10-week quarter or $1,282.50 per week, the suit said.Instead, the suit said, SCAD has provided justifications for this refusal on it’s website to include “SCAD tuition primarily funds the salaries of professors (and the staff members who support instruction). All SCAD faculty members will be teaching this spring and will be supported by SCAD staff members …“Creative colleges and universities across the country are also maintaining tuition rates during this time because of increased technology costs. At SCAD such costs include video capability for all faculty and additional support staff to help produce and share virtual content.”The suit said that SCAD President Paula Wallace notified students by email that the school received an $8.2 million federal COVID-19 stimulus grant designed to help students.“It would be inequitable for SCAD to retain the value of these stimulus funds while, at the same time, ceasing to provide services to students and not returning the full, prorated amounts that students and their families paid for these services,” the suit said.View Comments

Jan Skutchjskutch@savannahnow.comView CommentsA senior illustration major at the Savannah College of Art and Design has sued the university for partial reimbursement of spring quarter tuition after the school closed down in response to the coronavirus outbreak.Markari Roehrkasse, who is scheduled to graduate after the spring quarter, filed the action in Chatham County Superior Court on April 28 for a class of herself and other SCAD students in similar positions.The suit, filed by attorneys Paul W. Painter III, W. Andrew Bowen and Constance Cooper, contended that SCAD notified students on...

SCAD student sues school over unrefunded tuition in wake of coronavirus closing

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