Dean v. Maryville University of Saint Louis Case No. 20SL-CC02850
IF YOU PAID TUITION AND/OR ONE FEES TO MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY OF ST. LOUIS FOR THE SPRING 2020 SEMESTER, YOU MAY BE ELIGiBLE FOR COMPENSATION FROM A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT.
Your legal rights are affected whether you act or not.1. Why did I get this Notice?
The Settlement has been reached in the action entitled Dean v. Maryville University of Saint Louis, Case No. 20SL-CC02850 (St. Louis Cnty. Mo. Cir. Ct.).
You may be a member of the class of students on whose behalf this Action was filed; thus, you may be eligible for the relief detailed below.
This Notice explains the nature of the Action, the general terms of the proposed Settlement, and your legal rights and obligations.
2. What is a class action?
In a class action, one or more people called a “Class Representative” (in this case, Samuel Dean) sue on behalf of people who have similar claims. For purposes of this proposed Settlement, one court will resolve the issues for all Class Members. Since Maryville was the entity sued in this Action, it is called the Defendant.
3. What is the lawsuit about?
Plaintiff Samuel Dean (“Plaintiff”) commenced a putative class action in the Circuit Court of St. Louis County, Missouri alleging breach of contract, unjust enrichment, and Missouri Merchandising Practices claims related to Maryville’s transition of in-person instruction and other educational services to a virtual environment during a portion of the Spring 2020 semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic and related state and local public health mandates and orders. Maryville denies Plaintiff’s allegations and that it has done anything wrong. No court has decided which side is right.
4. Why is there a Settlement?
Both sides agreed to the Settlement to avoid ongoing litigation costs and going to trial. As a result, the Class Members will receive relief now rather than years from now, if at all.
5. How do I know if I am part of the Settlement?
You are a member of the Class if you fit the following description: You were an undergraduate student who paid tuition and/or the One Fee, or on whose behalf such payments were made, and were enrolled in one (1) or more of Maryville’s on-campus courses during the Spring 2020 semester and whose tuition and/or One Fee were not refunded. You are not a Class Member if you are a current employee of Maryville (not including student-worker employees); a child of a current employee; you paid a One Fee for the online program and were not enrolled in an on-campus course after March 16, 2020; or you withdrew from Maryville University prior to March 16, 2020. If you were a graduate student during the Spring 2020 semester, you are not part of the class.
| YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS IN THIS SETTLEMENT: | |
| DO NOTHING |
Receive the benefits in the Settlement.
If you do nothing and the Court approves the Settlement, you will receive a portion of the New Cash Settlement Fund, relief for any debt you directly owed Maryville in relation to the Spring 2020 Semester and may audit two (2) online or on-campus courses offered by Maryville free of charge. If you would like to elect to receive your portion of the New Cash Settlement Fund through digital means such as [Venmo or Paypal] instead of a physical check, or to update your address to receive a physical check, then you must submit the Election Form via the settlement website. |
| ASK TO BE EXCLUDED |
Get out of this Settlement and get no money.
If you ask to be excluded from the Settlement, you are not eligible to share in the benefits of the Settlement. Instead, you will keep any rights to sue Maryville separately over the legal claims in this Action. |
| OBJECT |
Challenge the Settlement.
You may file a written objection telling the Court why you object to (i.e., don’t like) the Settlement and think it should not be approved. Submitting an objection does not exclude you from the Settlement. |
| GO TO THE FAIRNESS HEARING, IF THERE ARE OBJECTIONS |
Go to Court if Anyone Objected.
Plaintiff shall move for Final Approval of the Settlement, request for attorneys’ fees and costs of the lawyers who brought the Action, and request for a Service Award for Plaintiff for bringing the Action. Plaintiff will indicate whether any objections have been received. If no objections are received, then Plaintiff will inform the Court that no Fairness Hearing is necessary, unless ordered by the Court. If objections are received, then Plaintiff will request a hearing so that objections can be heard and considered. You may, but are not required to, speak at the Fairness Hearing about any objection you filed to the Settlement. If you intend to speak at the Fairness Hearing, you must also submit a “Notice of Intention to Appear” indicating your intent to do so. |
To see the full Notice, please click here .