Opinion ID: 6321084
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: American University’s Fees

Text: The Qureshi Plaintiffs allege American promised to “provide or make available the services, access, benefits[,] and/or programs” associated with the fees Plaintiffs paid for the spring 2020 semester. Qureshi Compl. ¶ 164, App. 28. Specifically, Plaintiffs point to four mandatory fees: a sports center fee, an activity fee, a technology fee, and a Metro U- Pass fee. The sports center fee “is charged to all registered students, and is used to help pay for building maintenance and service costs associated with the sports center complex.” Id. ¶ 161, App. 27. “Any registered student can use the entire sports complex facilities, including the fitness center.” Id. Although the University states that the fee is “not a membership fee” for the fitness center, id., we draw the reasonable inference from Plaintiffs’ allegations that students paid the sports center fee in exchange for access to the sports complex facilities. Because they plausibly allege the University denied them access to these facilities, they state a claim for breach of contract with respect to the sports center fee. 19 The activity fee finances “student-sponsored programs that contribute significantly to the intellectual and social development of the student body, serve the university academic goals, encourage student participation and leadership, and enhance the general campus environment.” Id. ¶ 160, App. 27. Because we see no indication that this fee encompasses only in-person organizations and does not support student groups operating online, Plaintiffs fail to plausibly allege American breached a duty to support student-run activities and programs. The technology fee “helps to fund technology priorities, ranging from classroom instruction, faculty research, expanded computer labs, student portals, wireless connectivity, on-line registrations, faster internet connectivity, server upgrades, computer security, and administrative systems.” Id. ¶ 162, App. 27. The University’s technology services are available “[w]hether a student lives on-campus, off-campus, or abroad.” Id. This indicates the University charges the same fee regardless of a student’s physical location. As such, Plaintiffs fail to plausibly allege that the University breached the terms of this fee during its transition to online education. The Metro U-Pass fee is “charged to full time students enrolled in an on-campus program” and “is valid for unlimited Metrorail and Metrobus transportation for the duration of the semester.” Id. ¶ 163, App. 27. These services are provided by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. See Qureshi, 537 F. Supp. 3d at 29 n.12. Here, although “students were ‘strongly encouraged’ to ‘depart campus as soon as possible’” and “to return to their permanent homes,” Qureshi Compl. ¶¶ 48-49, App. 8 (citation omitted), Plaintiffs do not allege that the University prohibited students from remaining in the Washington, D.C., metro area or revoked their access to public transportation. Accordingly, Plaintiffs fail to state a claim for breach of contract as to the Metro U-Pass fee. 20 For the foregoing reasons, we reverse the District Courts’ dismissals of the implied-in-fact contract claims as to the additional course fees in Shaffer and the sports center fee in Qureshi. We affirm the District Courts’ dismissals of the remaining fee claims.