Students considering litigation against colleges and universities have powerful legal tools at their disposal: state consumer protection laws. These laws were designed to empower states and consumers to bring claims against companies that act unfairly or deceptively. Although the requirements of these laws vary from state to state, most allow consumers that prevail in litigation to recover not only compensatory damages but also reasonable attorneys’ fees and double or treble damages. The availability of such remedies makes it easier for consumers to find legal representation and encourages them to bring their claims to court.
Online learning has “gone from a wild frontier to a more established professional [undertaking],” says Jay Halfond of Boston University, Senior Fellow of the UPCEA Center for Online Leadership and Strategy and Chair of the National Task Force on the UPCEA Hallmarks of Excellence in Online Leadership. As the field of online education has matured, the need has arisen for standards and benchmarks that challenge university leaders to hold themselves accountable to practices that demonstrate commitment to online education and its place in the university.
