|
|
| Financial aid refunds delayed
across state |
by
Leslie Rasimas
Staff Writer |
Appalachian State University students
received their financial aid refund checks approximately two
weeks late this summer session.
Refund checks are generally given to students by registration
day of each session. This term, students received their checks
on Friday, July 12.
University Controller Rick Presnell said the end of the fiscal
year brings problems for the state budget.
“There were circumstances out of our control,” he
said.
The state was holding refund checks for students to ensure
the funds for this past fiscal year were balanced. The university
must wait for the state to send the money before the university
can give it to the students. The problem was the state’s
delay in getting the money to the schools.
“There were a lot of complicated year-end closing processes
and it took longer [to get refund checks to students]. It
was never an issue that students wouldn’t get their money,”
he said.
“Other [state universities] called me to ask what we
were doing about it. It’s not just us,” Presnell
said.
Many factors affect the speed and efficiency of the state
and financial aid refunds.
“The economy has driven a lot of this. Things are tight
and many things are happening with the state budget.
Many students depend on their financial aid to pay rent, bills
and food. When a check from the state is a week or two late
it can greatly affect students’ lives, Ezell P. Williams,
an organizational and public communication major and former
SGA vice president said.
Another concern of students’ is not where there money
is, but why they were not notified earlier that their checks
would be delayed.
“[A delay] is a huge deal for students that fund their
own education,” said Williams.
Williams was upset about the lack of communication between
the school and the students expecting refund checks.
“The Controller’s Office and the Office of Student
Accounts didn’t do the best job of communicating [the
problem] to the students,” she said.
“Nobody knew what was going on unless they called Student
Accounts.”
Williams suggested posting the information on the Campus Pipeline
so students could find out information on when to expect their
checks.
“It was no particular office’s fault. It’s
just a communication issue. I would have liked to have been
notified,” she said.
Public relations major Hillary M. Loiselle said she agrees
with Williams.
“I need the money, but not as much as other students,”
she said. “It would have been nice to know when I was
going to get my check so I could plan my spending.
“ I have to buy a lot of books and supplies for my summer
classes and it’s difficult to sit in class unprepared
because I couldn’t afford supplies,” Loiselle said.
The Controller’s Office has started planning in case
a situation like this arises next semester.
“I really regret this happened,” Presnell said.
“It is not the best of situations. We are going to be
proactive and head this off in the future.” |
|
