Frequently Asked Questions
Notice of Class Action Settlement
BASIC INFORMATION
The consolidated class action being settled is captioned
Miles Levin, et al. v. Board of Regents of the University of Colorado
, Civil Action No. 2020CV31409. This case is a putative class action, meaning that the
Settlement Class Representatives—Emily Carpey, Juan Jimenez, Nick Tufano, and Miles Levin—brought
this action as individuals acting on behalf of a putative class of all people who paid tuition
and/or fees for the Spring 2020 semester at the University. The Settlement Class Representatives
alleged claims for breach of contract and unjust enrichment resulting from the cessation of
in-person classes and closure of the campuses as a result of the Covid pandemic. After motion
practice as well as substantial class discovery, the Parties came to the proposed Settlement.
If you received Notice of this lawsuit, it is because the University’s records indicate that you were enrolled at the University
during the Spring 2020 semester and were assessed tuition and/or fees that are the subject of this Action. The Court directed
that this Notice be made available to all Potential Settlement Class Members because each member has a right to Notice of the
proposed Settlement and the options available to them before the Court decides whether to approve the proposed Settlement.
If you were enrolled in any of the University’s campuses during the Spring 2020 semester at least through the census date applicable
to your campus, were assessed tuition and/or fees for the Spring 2020 semester, and you were not enrolled for the Spring 2020 semester
solely in a program that, at the beginning of the Spring 2020 semester, was intended to be delivered as an online program, then you potentially qualify as a Settlement Class Member.
In any lawsuit, there are risks and potential benefits that come with litigating as compared to settling. It is the Settlement
Class Representatives’ and their lawyers’ (“Class Counsel”) job to identify when a proposed Settlement offer is sufficient and
justifies settling the case instead of continuing to litigate. In a class action, Class Counsel determines when to recommend
settling to the Class Representatives. The Class Representatives then have a duty to act in the best interests of the Class
as a whole when deciding whether to accept this recommendation. In this case, it is the belief of the Settlement Class
Representatives and Class Counsel that this proposed Settlement is in the best interest of all Settlement Class Members.
The University denies the claims asserted and believes that its actions were proper and in accordance with the terms of its policies, agreements, and applicable law. The University denies that its actions give rise to any claim by the Settlement Class Representatives or any Settlement Class Members. However, given the benefit that current and former students will receive from a negotiated settlement, the University considers it desirable to resolve the Action.
The University denies the claims asserted and believes that its actions were proper and in accordance with the terms of its policies, agreements, and applicable law. The University denies that its actions give rise to any claim by the Settlement Class Representatives or any Settlement Class Members. However, given the benefit that current and former students will receive from a negotiated settlement, the University considers it desirable to resolve the Action.
The Court must decide that the proposed Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate before it will approve the proposed Settlement.
At this time, the Court has already reviewed and decided to grant preliminary approval of the proposed Settlement, after
which Notice was disseminated to Potential Settlement Class Members. The Court will make a final decision regarding the
proposed Settlement at a Final Approval Hearing, which is currently scheduled for July 19, 2023.
YOUR OPTIONS
If you are a Potential Settlement Class Member, you have three options with respect to this proposed Settlement: (1) do nothing
and be eligible to participate in the proposed Settlement and receive the Settlement Benefit allocated to you according to the
terms of the proposed Settlement; (2) opt out of the proposed Settlement; or (3) participate in the proposed Settlement, but
object to it. Each of these options is described further below.
a. If you do nothing, and the proposed Settlement is approved by the Court, you will be eligible to participate in the
proposed Settlement and to receive the Settlement Benefit allocated to you according to the terms of the proposed Settlement.
You will be provided a payment distribution email to be sent to your last known email address on file with the University,
wherein you will be provided with a number of digital payment options such as PayPal, Venmo, or a digital debit card, to
immediately receive your Settlement Payment.
A valid email address is required to receive digital payment. If the email address
you have on file changes or becomes invalid for any reason, it is your responsibility to provide accurate contact information to the
Settlement Administrator to receive a payment
. You will also have the option to request a paper check be mailed using the address information on file with the University
or as provided by you. Electronic payments will be issued forty-five (45) days after the Effective Date, as defined in the
proposed Settlement. The payment redemption period will end one hundred eighty (180) days after the Effective Date,
as defined in the proposed Settlement. During the payment redemption period, the Settlement Administrator will also send paper checks to
Settlement Class Members who either do not timely redeem their digital payment, or who request a paper check be mailed. The dates will also be posted on the Settlement Website when known,
but it will be some time after the Final Approval Hearing currently scheduled for July 19, 2023.
b. If you would like to opt out or object to the proposed Settlement, your request must be postmarked no later than June 5, 2023.
c. If you would like to object to the proposed Settlement, your objection must be postmarked no later than June 5, 2023.
b. If you would like to opt out or object to the proposed Settlement, your request must be postmarked no later than June 5, 2023.
c. If you would like to object to the proposed Settlement, your objection must be postmarked no later than June 5, 2023.
If you would prefer not to participate in the proposed Settlement, then you may want to consider opting out. If you opt out,
you will not receive a payment and you will keep any individual claims you may have against the University relating to the
transition to remote learning in the Spring 2020 semester.
If you believe the proposed Settlement is unreasonable, unfair, or inadequate and that the Court should reject the proposed Settlement, you may want to consider objecting to the proposed Settlement. The Court will decide if your objection is valid. If the Court agrees, then the proposed Settlement may not be approved. If your objection (or any other objection) is overruled, and the proposed Settlement is approved, then you will still receive a payment under the proposed Settlement and you will be bound by the proposed Settlement. Note that if you do not object to the proposed Settlement, and the proposed Settlement is later approved, you cannot appeal that approval order.
If you believe the proposed Settlement is unreasonable, unfair, or inadequate and that the Court should reject the proposed Settlement, you may want to consider objecting to the proposed Settlement. The Court will decide if your objection is valid. If the Court agrees, then the proposed Settlement may not be approved. If your objection (or any other objection) is overruled, and the proposed Settlement is approved, then you will still receive a payment under the proposed Settlement and you will be bound by the proposed Settlement. Note that if you do not object to the proposed Settlement, and the proposed Settlement is later approved, you cannot appeal that approval order.
No. If you are a Settlement Class Member, you are automatically entitled to a payment and will be paid pursuant to the deadlines set
forth under Answer 7(a).
OPTING OUT OF THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT
If you opt out of the proposed Settlement, you will preserve any claims you may have against the University related to its
transition to remote learning in the Spring 2020 semester. However, you will not be entitled to receive a payment from this
proposed Settlement–assuming that the proposed Settlement is approved by the Court.
To opt out of the proposed Settlement, you must send a written request to the Settlement Administrator at: University of Colorado Covid Refund Settlement,
c/o A.B. Data. Ltd., P.O. Box 173006, Milwaukee, WI 53217, which must:
a. include a statement requesting to opt out of the Settlement Class;
b. be personally signed by you;
c. include your name, address, and either a telephone number or email address;
d. include the caption for the Action—Miles Levin, et al. v. Board of Regents of the University of Colorado, Civil Action No. 2020CV31409; and
e. be postmarked no later than June 5, 2023.
A request to opt out of the proposed Settlement that does not meet the above requirements, or that is sent to an address other than that of the Settlement Administrator, will be invalid and the person sending the defective request will remain in the Settlement Class and, if the proposed Settlement is approved by the Court, will receive a payment, and will be bound by the proposed Settlement.
A request to opt out of the proposed Settlement must be done on an individual basis. A potential Settlement Class Member cannot purport to opt others out of the proposed Settlement on a Class or Representative basis.
a. include a statement requesting to opt out of the Settlement Class;
b. be personally signed by you;
c. include your name, address, and either a telephone number or email address;
d. include the caption for the Action—Miles Levin, et al. v. Board of Regents of the University of Colorado, Civil Action No. 2020CV31409; and
e. be postmarked no later than June 5, 2023.
A request to opt out of the proposed Settlement that does not meet the above requirements, or that is sent to an address other than that of the Settlement Administrator, will be invalid and the person sending the defective request will remain in the Settlement Class and, if the proposed Settlement is approved by the Court, will receive a payment, and will be bound by the proposed Settlement.
A request to opt out of the proposed Settlement must be done on an individual basis. A potential Settlement Class Member cannot purport to opt others out of the proposed Settlement on a Class or Representative basis.
OBJECTING TO THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT
You can object to the proposed Settlement, or any part of it, so long as you do not opt out of the proposed Settlement, as only Settlement
Class Members have the right to object to the proposed Settlement, including any attorneys’ fees sought by Class Counsel. To have your
objection considered by the Court at the Final Approval Hearing, your objection must:
a. include your name, address, and either a telephone number or email address; and state that you are a Settlement Class Member;
b. be personally signed by you, the objecting Settlement Class Member;
c. contain a statement that includes all objections, states whether each objection applies only to the objector, to a subset of the Settlement Class, or to the entire Settlement Class, and states the specific reasons for all objections, including any legal arguments and evidentiary support (including copies of any documents relied upon); and
d. state whether you wish to speak at the Final Approval Hearing and
e. state whether you are represented by Counsel.
Your objection and any accompanying papers must be filed with the Clerk of Court. If you are represented by counsel, the objection must be filed through the Court’s electronic case filing (ECF) system. All objections must also be mailed at the same time to Class Counsel, the University’s Counsel, and the Settlement Administrator at the addresses below. All objections must be postmarked no later than June 5, 2023.
a. include your name, address, and either a telephone number or email address; and state that you are a Settlement Class Member;
b. be personally signed by you, the objecting Settlement Class Member;
c. contain a statement that includes all objections, states whether each objection applies only to the objector, to a subset of the Settlement Class, or to the entire Settlement Class, and states the specific reasons for all objections, including any legal arguments and evidentiary support (including copies of any documents relied upon); and
d. state whether you wish to speak at the Final Approval Hearing and
e. state whether you are represented by Counsel.
Your objection and any accompanying papers must be filed with the Clerk of Court. If you are represented by counsel, the objection must be filed through the Court’s electronic case filing (ECF) system. All objections must also be mailed at the same time to Class Counsel, the University’s Counsel, and the Settlement Administrator at the addresses below. All objections must be postmarked no later than June 5, 2023.
Clerk of Court | Settlement Administrator | Class Counsel | University’s Counsel |
---|---|---|---|
Clerk of the Court District Court for the City and County of Denver, State of Colorado 1437 Bannock Street Room 256 Denver, CO 80202 |
A.B. Data, Ltd. University of Colorado Covid Refund Settlement , c/o A.B. Data, Ltd. P.O. Box 173006, Milwaukee, WI 53217 |
LYNCH CARPENTER, LLP Attn: (Eddie) Jae K. Kim 1133 Penn Avenue, 5th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222 |
Office of the Attorney General Attn: Phillip J. Weiser Ralph L. Carr Colorado Judicial Center 1300 Broadway, 6th Floor Denver, CO 80203 |
If you object to the proposed Settlement, the Court will consider your objection at the Final Approval Hearing. If
the Court sustains your objection, or the objection of any other Settlement Class Member, the proposed Settlement may not
be approved. If you object, but the Court overrules your objection and any other objections and approves the proposed Settlement,
then you will be bound by the proposed Settlement, and you may appeal the approval order to the extent that it overrules your objection.
Objecting to the proposed Settlement is telling the Court that you do not believe the proposed Settlement is fair, reasonable,
and adequate for the Settlement Class, and asking the Court to reject it. If you object to the proposed Settlement and the
proposed Settlement is ultimately approved, then you are entitled to a payment and will release any claims related to the
University’s transition to remote learning in the Spring 2020 semester. Opting out of the proposed Settlement, however, is
telling the Court that you do not want to be a part of the proposed Settlement if it is approved, you do not want to receive
a payment, and you will not release claims you might have against the University that would otherwise have been released by
participating in the proposed Settlement.
No. To object to the proposed Settlement, you must participate in the proposed Settlement. Thus, you must choose between opting out or objecting to the proposed Settlement.
THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT PAYMENT
The Parties have agreed to a Settlement Fund of $5,000,000.00.
As discussed in more detail below, service awards for the Settlement Class Representatives will be paid out of the Settlement Fund. Thereafter, the remaining funds—the Net Settlement Fund—will be divided among all Settlement Class Members entitled to payments as outlined in the proposed Settlement and discussed further below in Answer 20.
As discussed in more detail below, service awards for the Settlement Class Representatives will be paid out of the Settlement Fund. Thereafter, the remaining funds—the Net Settlement Fund—will be divided among all Settlement Class Members entitled to payments as outlined in the proposed Settlement and discussed further below in Answer 20.
None. Class Counsel will request that the Court approve attorneys’ fees and reimbursement of out-of-pocket litigation costs
in the amount of $250,000.00, which will be paid by the University separately from the Settlement Fund.
Class Counsel must submit their request to the Court by June 20, 2023, at which point the amount of the requested attorneys’ fees, as well as Class Counsel’s motion, will be published on the Settlement Website. The Court will then decide the amount of the attorneys’ fees and costs based on a number of factors, including the risk associated with bringing the Action, the amount of time spent on the case, the magnitude and complexity of the Action, the quality of the work, and the requested fee in relation to the outcome of the Action.
Class Counsel must submit their request to the Court by June 20, 2023, at which point the amount of the requested attorneys’ fees, as well as Class Counsel’s motion, will be published on the Settlement Website. The Court will then decide the amount of the attorneys’ fees and costs based on a number of factors, including the risk associated with bringing the Action, the amount of time spent on the case, the magnitude and complexity of the Action, the quality of the work, and the requested fee in relation to the outcome of the Action.
Class Counsel will request that the Settlement Class Representatives, Emily Carpey, Juan Jimenez, Nick Tufano, and Miles Levin, be paid an award in the amount of no more than $2,500.00 each, in recognition for their work in connection with this case. The award must be approved by the Court.
None. All Notice and administrative costs will be paid separately from the Settlement Fund.
The balance of the Settlement Fund, after paying the awards to the Settlement Class Representatives, will be known as the Net Settlement Fund.
The Net Settlement Fund will be divided so that each Settlement Class Member receives the same amount as other Settlement Class Members who attended the same campus.
More specifically, the Net Settlement Fund will be allocated to the four University campuses based on each campus’ percentage of overall Tuition and Mandatory Fees charged to
students as follows: $3,500,000 (70 percent) to University of Colorado, Boulder, $1,050,000 (21 percent) to University of Colorado, Denver, $400,000
(8 percent) to University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, and $50,000 (1 percent) to University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus. Each campus’
share of the Settlement Fund will be distributed on a pro rata basis to the Settlement Class Members enrolled on that campus. If you qualify as a
Settlement Class Member, and the proposed Settlement is approved, you will receive the Settlement Benefit. Should any students opt out of the proposed
Settlement, the amount that would have been distributed to such Potential Settlement Class Member had they not filed an opt-out request will instead
be distributed to Settlement Class Members, in equal amounts to each Settlement Class Member who attended the same campus.
The Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing on July 19, 2023, to consider whether the proposed Settlement
should be approved. If the Court approves the proposed Settlement, then payments will be distributed within forty-five (45) days of the date after which the proposed Settlement becomes final, as defined in the Settlement Agreement.
THE FINAL APPROVAL HEARING
The Court will hold a Final Approval Hearing on July 19, 2023 the District Court for the City and County of Denver, State
of Colorado located at 1437 Bannock Street, Division 215, Denver, Colorado 80202. At this hearing, the Court will consider whether
the proposed Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate. If objections have been properly submitted, the Court will consider them.
The Court may also decide how much to award Class Counsel for attorneys’ fees and litigation costs and the amount of the awards to the
Settlement Class Representatives. The hearing will be public. The hearing may be virtual, in which case the instructions for viewing the
hearing and participating will be posted on the Settlement Website. The date and time of the Final Approval Hearing may change without further
notice. Please check the Settlement Website for updates.
No. Class Counsel will answer any questions the Court may have. You may attend if you desire to do so. If you have properly submitted an objection, the Court will consider your objection regardless of whether you attend.
If you are a Settlement Class Member, you may ask the Court for permission to speak at the Final Approval Hearing. If you
are objecting and would like to speak at the Final Approval Hearing, you must state in your objection, as described in
Answer 12 above, that you wish to be heard at the Final Approval Hearing.
THE LAWYERS REPRESENTING THE CLASS
The Court has appointed the law firms of Poulin | Willey | Anastopoulo, LLC, Lynch Carpenter, LLP, and
Kishinevsky & Raykin, Attorneys at Law as Class Counsel to act on behalf of the Settlement Class and the Settlement Class Representatives with respect to the Settlement.
No. Class Counsel will be paid by the University, separately from the Settlement Fund, subject to the Court’s approval.
The Court will be asked to approve the amount of attorneys’ fees at the Final Approval Hearing. Class Counsel will file an application for
attorneys’ fees and costs, which shall not exceed $250,000.00. Class Counsel must submit its request to the Court by June 20, 2023, at which
point the amount of the requested attorneys’ fees, as well as Class Counsel’s motion, will be published on the Settlement Website. Settlement
Class Members who would like to object to the amount of attorneys’ fees sought by Class Counsel may do so by following the instructions
described in Answer 12 above.
Distribution FAQs
Payment for Class Members with a valid email address are being provided digital payment as a quick and easy way to receive their Settlement Benefit.
Yes, Tremendous is the digital payment provider for the Settlement Benefits being sent as a digital payment.
You may have received an email from rewards@reward.tremendous.com. This email was not spam. Tremendous is the digital payment provider for this settlement and this is how your digital Settlement Benefits are being delivered to you.
You may have received an email from rewards@reward.tremendous.com. This email was not spam. Tremendous is the digital payment provider for this settlement and this is how your digital Settlement Benefits are being delivered to you.
If you received an email indicating that you were able to claim your settlement payment, and you are having trouble
redeeming your digital payment, then please contact Tremendous at help@tremenedous.com for assistance.
To request a paper check in lieu of a digital payment, please submit a request in writing to the Settlement Administrator by email to info@cucovidsettlement.com , or by mail to:
University of Colorado
Covid Refund Settlement
c/o A.B. Data, Ltd.
P.O. Box 173006
Milwaukee, WI 53217
Please note that check requests will be sent 6 to 8 weeks after the request has been received.
University of Colorado
Covid Refund Settlement
c/o A.B. Data, Ltd.
P.O. Box 173006
Milwaukee, WI 53217
Please note that check requests will be sent 6 to 8 weeks after the request has been received.
GETTING MORE INFORMATION
This website summarizes the proposed Settlement. More details are contained in the Settlement Agreement, which can be viewed under the
Court Documents tabs of this website. In the event of any inconsistency between the Settlement Agreement and the Notice, the Settlement
Agreement will govern.
For additional information about the proposed Settlement, you should contact the Settlement Administrator as follows:
A.B. Data, Ltd.
University of Colorado Covid Refund Settlement
c/o A.B. Data, Ltd.
P.O. Box 173006
Milwaukee, WI 53217
Toll Free: 877-888-9251
Email: info@cucovidsettlement.com
For additional information about the proposed Settlement, you should contact the Settlement Administrator as follows:
A.B. Data, Ltd.
University of Colorado Covid Refund Settlement
c/o A.B. Data, Ltd.
P.O. Box 173006
Milwaukee, WI 53217
Toll Free: 877-888-9251
Email: info@cucovidsettlement.com
PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT THE COURT OR THE UNIVERSITY
CONCERNING THIS NOTICE OR THE PROPOSED SETTLEMENT.