Financial Aid Experiences Delays

Classes have been in session for almost a week and there are still Columbus State University students who have not had their financial aid processed. According to financial aid counselor Betty Dunn, there are a few different reasons for the delay in payment.

One reason is that there has been a lot of confusion regarding tax information. A lot of students didn’t realize that they needed their 2015 tax records for this semester, not the 2016 records. Another cause is that the department is using new software called Campus Logic and staff is still undergoing training. And last, the government’s data retrieval system for FAFSA stopped working.

Friday, August 18, is the fee payment deadline when students get dropped from classes for non-payment. One student said that her financial aid counselor told her students will not be dropped for nonpayment on Friday. Bursar employee Sara Winter confirmed that students will not be dropped Friday or over the weekend, but she did not know the new drop date. An e-mail will be sent out shortly after the drop date is decided.

Many students use the “Early Book” program to purchase books before their financial aid arrives; however, they cannot use the program if their financial aid hasn’t even been processed and they owe CSU money. Not being able to obtain their books puts students behind and hurts their chances of success in their classes. On Thursday afternoon, August 16, the financial aid department was filled with students, most of whom just needed to know if they were being dropped from classes the next day.