Financial Aid responds to student complaints

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The FAMU Office of Student Financial Aid addressed repeated complaints by students on social media, last week, by telling the Board of Trustees that so far this year the office has processed over 11,000 records and made over 9,123 awards.

Financial aid staff said it usually takes the the system 2-3 days from the date of the award to process a disbursement and get the money to students bank accounts.

“We transitioned to a new software system in the spring, and while there have been glitches, for-the-most-part the system has worked well,” officials said. “Where we are having problems is with students using the technology to access their records.”  

 

Students can use the financial aid app on their phones to get ‘real time’ status updates of their student aid, or check to see what if any additional documentation is needed.

 

FAMU is one of the first few universities using a new program by Oracle designed to streamlines the process and improve the student experience. 

 

Since September, the FAMU Financial Aid Office has been the source of two FAMUAN articles  claiming the office was non-responsive and slow to disburse refunds.  The slow disbursement was one of the many issues raised in a five-page letter signed by 89 FAMU football players who complained about not getting their scholarship checks until shortly before the end of the (last) semester.

Financial Aid officials said they would work with the Student Government to develop a better communications/education plan between the office and the students. "Students perhaps need additional training on how to use the new system," officials said.