Published December 21. 2020 12:01AM
Kevin Synnott
Colleges and universities need to buttress their legal teams to prepare for additional lawsuits due to the unethical decision to reopen schools during a pandemic. Nationally, there are more than 5,000 universities and colleges serving more than 20 million students. Connecticut has 38 colleges and universities and 197,534 students.
Earlier this year, when colleges pivoted to online or distance learning, parents and students sued for refunds regarding tuition, fees and room and board. Insurance liability rates for colleges and universities increased. Some premiums increased more than 50%.
With the second surge of the coronavirus, students, faculty, staff and community members in towns surrounding colleges and universities have been infected with the virus. Many were hospitalized and died. These numbers increased when students returned home for Thanksgiving.