Although Florida A&M has made plenty of strides in other areas, there’s still work to be done.
There seems to be an issue when it comes to financial aid.
But the irony is it happens every year.
I’m not referring to the students who do their FAFSA forms the day before school.
Especially since these people usually get their financial aid before me anyway.
I’m talking about the students that complete their forms on time and continue to have issues receiving their net checks.
Every year the office is flooded with the same students asking where their money is.
So why not make the proper preparation for it?
When the university was facing probation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, President James Ammons made sure that his dream team faculty was up day and night, to ensure our status as a university would not be jeopardized.
Are students not worth that same commitment?
Why can’t employees stay late and come in on weekends in order for students to get their money on time?
We can safely say that there are peak periods throughout the school year, so why not hire temporary workers to help shift some of the burden around. Turning students away and closing at 1 p.m. is not a solution to being overwhelmed with processing issues.
And neither is taking a late lunch.
If the dedication you have for the students keeps you from taking lunch at the appropriate time, then maybe you should leave 30 minutes earlier and not at 3 p.m.
It’s no secret that students need money to go to school and live.
With over 80 percent of students dependent on financial aid its imperative that we get our money and on time.
After standing in lengthy lines waiting to speak with a financial aid officer, I don’t want to be rushed off.
I want someone to speak to me with a sense of compassion.
I need someone to sympathize with the fact that I might not have lights when I get home and do the best they can to help me.
We at The Famuan will continue to encourage The Office of Financial Aid to do better, with excellence and caring.
Yewande Addie is a senior newspaper journalism student from Atlanta. She can be reached at famuanopinions@gmail.com.