What We Think
Financial Aid story not off its mark
Issue date: 11/17/08 Section: Forum
Posted on Nov. 12 in the Nashville-area event and news magazine, the Nashville Scene, is a story titled, Financial Aid Woes, Poor Student Service Dog Tennessee State University, where TSU's Financial Aid department is again put under accusations of poor customer service toward university students.
In the story there are detailed accounts of people going to the Office of Financial Aid and being berated, ignored and even dismissed without the help of the officers and staff working there.
While usually the concept of people being mistreated or handled callously by their university would be considered "isolated experiences," this is too frequent a complaint to be considered so.
While the Nashville Scene's story slightly sensationalizes--the repeat use of "poor and black" in several forms is a little too much--the issue of discourteous service at TSU in regards to advancements and improvements to the TSU financial aid program, it is not wrong in calling attention to this apparent problem on campus.
The personal accounts of discomfort and dissatisfaction are becoming so frequent that the university should take note and make the appropriate actions against it.
While not every issue that students bring into the office can and will be solved, there is a way to do everything and the Financial Aid department is not doing it.
One of The Meter's very own had a similarly negative experience in the Financial Aid office. He went to the office to simply ask a question. Thankfully, he needed no assistance getting money; he just needed to verify a deadline.
Not only was he greeted without a smile; he was effectively ignored or pushed off for nearly 30 minutes before he was helped. To his credit, he had ample time to waste. He hollowed out his day even though he had only a minor question.
The real issue is, what if someone goes to Financial Aid not as prepared as the aforementioned Meterite and with a bigger problem? Is that the service their university chooses to give them? Are they pushed to the side or ignored while they endure a financial crisis?
In the story there are detailed accounts of people going to the Office of Financial Aid and being berated, ignored and even dismissed without the help of the officers and staff working there.
While usually the concept of people being mistreated or handled callously by their university would be considered "isolated experiences," this is too frequent a complaint to be considered so.
While the Nashville Scene's story slightly sensationalizes--the repeat use of "poor and black" in several forms is a little too much--the issue of discourteous service at TSU in regards to advancements and improvements to the TSU financial aid program, it is not wrong in calling attention to this apparent problem on campus.
The personal accounts of discomfort and dissatisfaction are becoming so frequent that the university should take note and make the appropriate actions against it.
While not every issue that students bring into the office can and will be solved, there is a way to do everything and the Financial Aid department is not doing it.
One of The Meter's very own had a similarly negative experience in the Financial Aid office. He went to the office to simply ask a question. Thankfully, he needed no assistance getting money; he just needed to verify a deadline.
Not only was he greeted without a smile; he was effectively ignored or pushed off for nearly 30 minutes before he was helped. To his credit, he had ample time to waste. He hollowed out his day even though he had only a minor question.
The real issue is, what if someone goes to Financial Aid not as prepared as the aforementioned Meterite and with a bigger problem? Is that the service their university chooses to give them? Are they pushed to the side or ignored while they endure a financial crisis?
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