Student sues Rice over online, wants refund
A Rice University student, unhappy about paying full tuition for an online education during the COVID-19 pandemic, is demanding a refund.
Undergraduate student Anna Seballos and her lawyers filed a lawsuit against Rice Jan. 11, stating that the private college touted and promised an “unconventional culture” and college experience, complete with in-person courses and opportunities, but breached its contract by failing to provide those services. The university, however, still charged students full price, the lawsuit says.
“Plaintiff and the members of the Class have all paid for tuition for a firstrate education and on-campus, in-person educational experiences, with all the appurtenant benefits offered by a first-rate university. Instead,
students like plaintiff were provided a materially different and insufficient alternative, which constitutes a breach of the contracts entered into by plaintiff with the University,” Seballos’ attorneys wrote.
The university does not comment on pending litigation, a Rice spokesman said in an email to the Houston Chronicle.
Seballos’ lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Listed on the suit as representation are the Edwards Law Group, Leeds Brown Law, and the Sultzer Law Group.
The suit is filed on behalf of all students who also paid tuition and/or fees to attend Rice in-person during terms affected by the pandemic, including Spring 2020. The lawsuit alleges that more than 7,100 students attended Rice during the 20192020 academic year.
Rice shifted its courses fully online in March at the
beginning of the pandemic in the Houston area and offered a mix of in-person, online and hybrid courses in the fall to curb the spread of the coronavirus. But, the lawsuit alleges, the offerings did not compare to in-person courses, experiences and opportunities the university promised or contractually agreed to through various documents and materials provided to students, including
the website, marketing and registration materials, acceptance letters, course catalog and listings, bills and invoices, and the student handbook.
Despite the changes brought by COVID-19, the attorneys allege the university still priced the tuition and mandatory fees based on inperson services, opportunities, and experiences, which were largely not provided due to the pandemic. Many facilities, like libraries, labs and study rooms — which students pay fees to access — were closed, and there was a lack of classroom interaction among teachers and students, attorneys allege. Students were also “deprived of the opportunity for collaborative learning and in-person dialogue, feedback and critique,” according to the suit.
Attorneys also said the university has refused to offer refunds, discounts or to apply any credits to the accounts of Seballos or other students and has instead “elected to place the financial burden entirely upon its students by charging them full tuition.”
The university charges students more than $30,000 a semester for tuition, room and board, and various fees related to student activities, health and wellness support, and courses, the suit says. Seballos paid $24,503 for tuition and fees, and about $7,100 for room, board, a meal plan, and student recreation fee — of which 38 percent was refunded, court documents state.
Rice’s website notes that a full year at the university, including tuition, fees, room and board, books and personal expenses, amounts to around $70,000 before financial aid. Freshmen receive an average of $52,000 in aid, cutting annual costs down to around $17,700.
Seballos has requested Rice to return a prorated portion of her and other students’ tuition and fees, “proportionate to the amount of time in the respective semesters when the university closed and switched to online-only learning,” the lawsuit states.
Seballos’ attorneys have also requested a trial by jury.