LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Since University of California and California State University campuses shut down in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, hundreds of thousands of students can no longer access student facilities and services they paid for and they want refunds. 

Attorney Moze Cowper knows firsthand what it is like to struggle to pay for college. 

“I was someone who was literally working three jobs to put myself through undergrad as well as law school,” said Cowper. “I had a single mother and it was difficult to literally put ramen noodles on the table.”

When he learned about a Change.org petition signed by over 44,000 students demanding a refund in spring-term fees from the UC system, it struck a chord.

“I thought to myself, there are a lot of kids out there who are probably like me 25 years ago, who are struggling,” he said.

Cowper says both UC and California State University attendees paid fees funding campus services and facilities such as student unions and athletic facilities, which are no longer accessible because of the campus closures.

He says the fees each student paid varies. “The range that our investigation has revealed so far is between $470 and $4,000 depending on the campus,” said Cowper.

One of those students is Claire Brandmeyer who goes to UC Davis. She says the approximately $1,100 she doled out in student fees would be better used for necessities she needs now.

“I could pay for two months rent and then the extra 100 dollars, I could pay for an extra two weeks of groceries,” said Brandmeyer.

She says her school offers some virtual services but that many students would be better served with refunds.

“A majority of the student body population at the University of California are first generation college students who are paying their way through college completely on their own, taking out massive loans, completely relying 100 percent on financial aid,” she said.

Brandmeyer says her family helps pay school fees but not everyone is as lucky.

“It’s important to give back money to us because there are people who are the breadwinners of their family and also a student,” she said. “There are people who have kids who are no longer in school and need help providing for them.”

Brandmeyer is the plaintiff in a class action lawsuit that Cowper filed against the UC system last month. He has a separate class action suit against Cal State. Both lawsuits demand refunds.

“There are 484,000 students in the California State University system approximately, I absolutely assume every one of those students are paying these fees,” he said. “There are approximately 238,000 students in the UC system and it is our belief that every one of those students is also paying these fees.”

Neither UC President Janet Napolitano nor Cal State Chancellor Tim White were available to speak to Spectrum News 1. However, Cal State issued the following statement:

“The case against CSU asserts that students should be given refunds after CSU allegedly stopped providing services to them. The complaint misstates the facts. Although classes were converted to on-line instruction after Governor Newsom issued his stay-at-home order, every CSU campus continued to fulfill its mission of providing instruction and services to its students. Campuses continue to operate, and many personal services are now provided remotely, such as counseling, advising, faculty office hours, disability student services, and even telehealth medical care. 

The complaint also misstates CSU’s position on refunds for certain campus-based fees. On March 19, 2020, CSU issued its Interim CSU Refund Policies for Tuition and Fees, which provides that campuses will provide refunds for various categories of fees that are determined to have been unearned by the campus. These refund policies and procedures are available to all students, and requests for refunds are already being processed (remotely). CSU will vigorously defend against this suit.”

Cowper says it will take months before the lawsuits go to court. In the meantime, he would be happy to negotiate.

“If I received a call from the general counsel of either UC or CSU tomorrow and they said, we planned to give back some of these fees or we would like to speak to you or we would like to speak with your clients...we would welcome that conversation. We have not received that phone call,” he said.

But Cowper remains hopeful because any refund - no matter how big or small - would mean relief for students having trouble making ends meet.