ST. LOUIS — Lindenwood University in St. Charles will pay $1.65 million to nearly 6,000 students who were moved to online classes in the spring of 2020 during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The money goes to settle a class-action lawsuit brought by students who argued that they overpaid for tuition because virtual instruction is less expensive than in-person classes, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.
The lawsuit, which said online learning options were “subpar in practically every aspect” to in-person classes, had sought for more than $5 million in reimbursements from Lindenwood.
On Wednesday, a federal judge on approved the settlement, which will see each student receive roughly $185. The students’ attorneys will receive about $550,000.
A similar class-action case filed by students at Washington University in St. Louis was dismissed by another federal judge in March.
