Students protest late checks, say they can't buy books, food

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA - A handful of students gathered around the Harrison Fountain on Thursday afternoon at the University of North Alabama to protest what they said were unnecessary delays in the processing of residual checks from their student loans.

Students who have loans or scholarships receive the checks for the money that's left after tuition has been paid.

Thomas Beane, a radio/television/film major at UNA, organized the event because he said the delays in receiving the checks have kept some students from buying books or food.

It's the first time in the university's history that students have assembled in protest of the delays.

"(UNA) has not responded to us as consumers and, without that money, we as students suffer," Beane said. "It hurts the reputation of the university. The students need to be heard."

Donna Tipps, controller at UNA, estimates that about 2,000 of the university's 7,000 students receive residual checks, but students who may have experienced delays were notified weeks before classes began in a series of four e-mails, the first of which was dated July 17.

In each e-mail, she said the university advised students that they could be affected by delays and should make contingency plans about buying books or other items, adding that an emergency loan of $200 by the university was available.

"The checks aren't required to be delivered on the first day of class, but it's a practice the students have gotten used to, and now we know how much they look forward to it," Tipps said.

Tipps said the protest came as a surprise to her because "we had very few calls after we sent out the e-mails. Once we notified people, we felt we were preparing them for what might happen as a result of this system change."

During the past year, UNA had adopted a new operating system which administrators say is designed to make registering, bill paying and scheduling easier for both the university and students.

Despite the potential for delays, Tipps said the system proved to work fine. Processing checks, however, can take between two and three days from the time money is deposited into a student's account to when the check is issued, mailed and received.

Samantha Southwell, a junior from Iuka, Miss., said she's still waiting on her $4,000.

She attended the protest as part of her speech class.

"I've had delays in getting the money before, but nothing like this," she said. "They've told us to make other arrangements, but I come from a family of five kids, so my parents don't have the money to send me to buy books or food or pay rent until this (refund) comes."

Southwell said she has already lost a lease on one apartment because she was unable to make the rent payment and is depending on the generosity of friends and her fiancee's mother to get by.

The story sounds all too familiar to Amber McConnell.

The single mother has had to quit her job, move back in with her parents in Lawrenceburg, Tenn., and commute the hour to school each day to finish her education.

"I'm lucky; my parents can help me," she said. "But I haven't been able to buy my books, and I've got two tests coming up. I don't want to start the semester behind on my classes."

In addition to the protest, Beane asked participants to bring canned food, which he will deliver to students who've been unable to buy groceries.

Michelle Rupe Eubanks can be reached at 740-5745 or michelle.eubanks@TimesDaily.com.