Jim Francis, founding partner of Francis Mailman Soumilas, P.C., appeared on News 10 NBC in Rochester, NY on September 14, 2020 to provide background on the lawsuit that the firm is filing against the University of Rochester.
In the complaint, Carstairs v. University of Rochester, the plaintiff alleges that he did not get full value for the tuition he paid to attend in-person classes when the university switched to online learning in the spring of 2020.
During the Channel 10 interview, Mr. Francis explains that he believes the University’s decision to switch to virtual leaning was appropriate. However, at issue is the fact that the University is unwilling to provide a partial refund for tuition, even though the school typically charges much less for online courses. Although the University partially reimbursed students for room and board, they did not offer a discount on tuition, which costs approximately $57,000 per year.
“The reality is, across the country, there are a lot of schools and colleges that have provided discounts,” said Mr. Francis. “Georgetown and Princeton came out ahead of the curve on this and offered 10 percent discount, as did a lot of other schools.”
Francis Mailman Soumilas, P.C. is seeking class certification for the lawsuit. More than 11,000 students attend the University of Rochester.
In addition to Carstairs v. University of Rochester, Francis Mailman Soumilas, P.C. is currently pursuing a number of class action suits on behalf of students whose rights may have been violated by large institutions or organizations. The firm has also filed complaints against Yale University, Johns Hopkins University, and Northwestern University University for failing to offer partial discounts or reimbursements after classes were shifted online. The firm has also filed suit against Navient for continuing to collect on student loan debt that was legally discharged in bankruptcy court.
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