Northeastern University kicked 11 students out for violating COVID rules. It's keeping their tuition.


Hundreds of thousands of students from across the world have descended on America's university campuses for the start of the academic year, and college towns have become the "new front in America's pandemic," The New York Times reports. Despite efforts to curtail the coronavirus' spread, cases have spiked in about 100 college towns, according to a Times analysis. While "there has been no uptick in deaths in college communities," the concern is that students — many of whom are asymptomatic — will spread the disease to older, more vulnerable people.
For all the lofty rhetoric about academic duty of care, one big reason colleges vowed to reopen this fall is because they need the money. The University of Iowa, for example, was facing a budget shortfall of $75 million thanks to coronavirus, the Times reports. Now, "Iowa City is a full-blown pandemic hot spot."
Some schools are putting the blame fully and squarely on students, punishing those who flout coronavirus policies with suspension or outright dismissal. For example, Northeastern University dismissed 11 students for gathering in a hotel room and will not be reimbursing their $36,500 tuition — "marking one of the most severe punishments college students have faced for breaking pandemic rules," The Washington Post notes.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Others schools are now moving classes online or opting for a hybrid system. But by this point, students have already paid their fees and likely won't be getting any money back, a move NYU marketing professor Scott Galloway predicted back in August while speaking to former Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Andy Slavitt: "You have 40 years where you could depend on the same amount of revenues coming in within a two-week period where parents sent in their deposits, maybe plus four or five percent. And all of a sudden that's threatened ... I think that lends to a lot of rhetoric around how important it is to open, and that we're going to figure out protocols to ensure something resembling a normal experience. I think a lot of this, quite frankly, is Latin for 'parents, please send in your tuition checks.'"
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jessica Hullinger is a writer and former deputy editor of The Week Digital. Originally from the American Midwest, she completed a degree in journalism at Indiana University Bloomington before relocating to New York City, where she pursued a career in media. After joining The Week as an intern in 2010, she served as the title’s audience development manager, senior editor and deputy editor, as well as a regular guest on “The Week Unwrapped” podcast. Her writing has featured in other publications including Popular Science, Fast Company, Fortune, and Self magazine, and she loves covering science and climate-related issues.
-
Colleges are canceling affinity graduations amid DEI attacks but students are pressing on
In the Spotlight The commencement at Harvard University was in the news, but other colleges are also taking action
-
When did computer passwords become a thing?
The Explainer People have been racking their brains for good codes for longer than you might think
-
What to know before 'buying the dip'
the explainer Purchasing a stock once it has fallen in value can pay off — or cost you big
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement
-
Trump calls Amazon's Bezos over tariff display
Speed Read The president was not happy with reports that Amazon would list the added cost from tariffs alongside product prices
-
Markets notch worst quarter in years as new tariffs loom
Speed Read The S&P 500 is on track for its worst month since 2022 as investors brace for Trump's tariffs
-
Tesla Cybertrucks recalled over dislodging panels
Speed Read Almost every Cybertruck in the US has been recalled over a stainless steel panel that could fall off
-
Crafting emporium Joann is going out of business
Speed Read The 82-year-old fabric and crafts store will be closing all 800 of its stores
-
Trump's China tariffs start after Canada, Mexico pauses
Speed Read The president paused his tariffs on America's closest neighbors after speaking to their leaders, but his import tax on Chinese goods has taken effect