There was some talk of a student protest on campus yesterday to complain about the University's poor record of disbursing financial aid and students loans checks. The University's poor record in this area has caused many students to be caught up in a web of entanglement that has led to many to be dismissed from school for nonpayment of fees. Many students have complained that poor record keeping on the part of financial aid office staff have led to many snafus that the University refuses to own up to. These snafus have included overpayments to students, cancelled loans, and the like.
Long story short, the protest didn't materialize.
I graduated from FAMU in the mid-70s. Although I was fortunate enough to not have to utilize the services of the financial aid office (because I had two working parents and also because tuition back then was nowhere what it is today, but still quite a bit for the average black family to pay), I had numerous friends who suffered tremendously under the hands of the financial aid office people. And I remember the long, long lines, and the day in and day out scenario that students had to withstand just to be told that something had been lost, stolen or strayed. Long story short: NOTHING much has changed, almost thirty years later. Why is it that we just can't seem to get things right, or at least hire some com[etent people to oversee such an important office as the financial aid office? It just simply amazes me that nothing much has changed at the school, at least in terms of the distribution and administrative serves of the financial aid disbursements to students at the university.
ReplyDeleteI think a big part of the problem is the morale of the rank and file employees in that office. My experience is that they resent the students that they are supposed to serve. I think their attitudes are somewhat understandable, since most of those at the front lines are underpaid, and haven't succeeded at college so they have no idea how hard students work to stay in school. To them, financial aid is just "money to party with" which they feel they provide the students through their taxes. Dr. Gainous made some attempts to instill an attitude of customer service in FAMU employees, trying to teach everyone that the students are the customers, but that was all erased by Dr. Bryant. She has shown nothing but disdain for EVERYONE -- faculty, staff, and students -- so why is anyone surprised that staff treat the students the same way the President treats them?
ReplyDeleteMaybe the students or faculty will find the courage and resolve to protest conditions at FAMU.
ReplyDeleteUnder Dr. Gainous, the failed ERP was launched (too early in financial aid) that created overpayments in amounts FAMU has never done before. This resulted in many students' financial accounts being completely destroyed. If you received an overpayment and returned these funds to FAMU, it created a credit and disbursed the funds yet again.
ReplyDeleteNow, this also happened under Henry Lewis as well. The only problem then is that Hank did not try to retrieve/collect the overpayments. So you know what that entitled as far as accounting at FAMU.
Who's fault. Administrators making decisions without consulting with the staff on the front lines.
You are correct 10/7 @ 5:38 pm, it is even more f'd up then ever before, because the rules that apply to 4-year college/university levels are quite different from 2-year community/junior college levels. Although, the key people Dr. Castell Bryant hired didn't have a clue then. They were clueless and still are.
This in turn, has resulted in students with special loans having to pay as they go, students eligible fed aid one year not eligible the next year, students' accounts unreconcilable, lost of grades for courses attended, inability to get aid because of the delinquencies, and a host of other problems that have left parents and students cursing the day they ever became involved with FAMU.
Now this is not the case for everyone, but when you disburse 1,000 of incorrect aid, you can image just how many of these mistakes have been corrected. Especially, if the university administration refuses to own up to these mistakes. Dr. Bryant brought this to the light in spring '05 and her administrations is still creating these problems but refusing to acknowledge that they are f'ing up people's lives and education.
Whenever someone says, "I am sorry, what can I do to correct this problem?" to the injuried party, it really opens the door for actually calming folks down and trying to find a solution to these problems.
Denial and finger pointing never solved anything. Those in charge, make bad decisions, policies, and rules. However, they never ask those responsible for implementing them feedback on the problems we encounter. Basically, they have said we don't care what you think just do what we say, even if it doesn't work. So what does that say about our leadership.
But we at FAMU are just trying to maintain, keep our heads down and not breathe too hard and don't say too much. Don't say too much, because you don't want to draw attention, that will definitely get you fired.
When all is said and done, these people (new administrators) get raises at the end of the day and refuse to even entertain raises for us, the ones responsible for implementing their f'd policies and rules that don't work. We are even told not to expect raises because there aren't any funds available, but when your VP gets a $15,000 increase in pay, and their cronies get $9-12,000 raises you can image the boost in morale. This has happened under the last three administrations. I always thought Hump was moving too fast, and even resented his administration, but damn we at least got a little raise at the beginning of the new fiscal year; a Christmas ornament and card, and a Christmas luncheon. There were parties in all divisions and you were encourage to attend. Offices decorated during certain holidays, etc. These perks at the time seem like nothing, but I damn sho' miss them today.
Well, I am rambling now because I don't dare go to this site through FAMU's system, because word is the university reads emails and checks computers accessing external sites. Although, this may be random or not, you don't know when big brother, in this instance sister is watching, so a brother has to be careful.
All I will say is when my son received a overpayment, I sent it back to the university twice before it was accepted.
ReplyDeleteBut believe me, we weren't gonna keep any check that didn't belong to us.
I guess that makes us stupid as hell
As a student at the law school, my financial aid was mysteriously cancelled on September 2nd, a mere 3 days before the disbursement period began. Although I was FINALLY able to reach someone on the phone that was able to correct the mishap, others aren't so lucky. I must also note that the financial aid office has a voice mail system that once the message plays IT HANGS UP ON YOU!
ReplyDeleteWhen students at the law school have to miss days of class to drive 4 hours to the main campus to get an answer, THERE IS A PROBLEM.
We are now 8-weeks into the semester and there are those who have not received their aid and are not working and able to cover the necessities of life such as food, gas, lights, rent....
When students lights are being turned off, eviction notices on doors, cars being repossessed and others withdrawing from classes, again, THERE IS A PROBLEM!!
Although there are those who are fortunate enough to have worked for years prior to returning to school and have some savings or others who have families that are able to lend a hand, by in large that is not representative of the entire student body and only accounts for a small percentage.
There is absolutely no reason why students at Florida A&M are unable to get their financial aid on time when just across the tracks on the other side of Gaines Street students are receiving aid on midnight of the disbursement date and we all know the # of students over there far exceeds FAMU's enrollment.
WHEN are we going to do what needs to be done to move forward to systems of accountability and efficiency??
Anonymous said..I guess that makes us stupid as hell. 10/08/2006 11:55 AM
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No! That makes you fortunate, that after two tries they finally got their business straight. But for others that were told the money belongs to you, makes the whole process stupid as hell and again we (FAMU) doesn't know what we are doing.
I tried returning my $2,800 overpayent four times to no avail. So I just bought a certificate of deposit with the money and am waiting on FAMU to demand payment. I figured the money might as well work for me.
ReplyDeleteWell they sent me $9,000 four times. I live by the three strikes you're out rule, the fourth time it ended up in a CD.
ReplyDeleteWhat is truly amazing is that while financial aid has problems, most people don't know what their functionality is, therefore they are blamed for things that they don't control. Case in point, financial aid does not process "netchecks". They don't calculate tuition or payments. But as soon as someone gets a check they didn't qualify to receive they blame financial aid. Accountability can only begin when the office responsible for a certain function is identified. When will Student Financial Services (also known as the cashier's office and student accounts) be held accountable for sending checks out before taking out the tuition? For sending students refunds over and over and over for funds they don't qualify to receive? When does that really happen?
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