New refund policy in effect, five week waiting period.
By: Ashley Higginbotham
-News Editor-
- Despite course cancellations, it has yet to be seen if the new financial aid disbursement policy will increase attendance. | PHOTO BY J. Ryan
In the past, STLCC-Meramec’s financial aid refund policy was that students would receive their refunds after the first or second week of class. The date has changed from the first week to the fifth week, so that registrar can look at a student’s attendance and decide how much and/or if they receive all of their refund. Previously, Meramec registrar and financial aid has had problems with students withdrawing from classes after the refunds are distributed, therefore lowering attendance rates.
“We’d have fewer students who received financial aid, then withdraw their classes,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs, Andrew Langrehr.
Campus administration, financial aid office and registrar decided on this before the school year started.
“Before this was decided,” Langrehr said, “there was a considerable conversation.”
This decision affects students in different ways.
“It doesn’t really affect me,” said first-year student, Jacob Virtue.
Virtue received money from the A+ Program, so he did not receive any refunds for this year from the financial aid office.
Second-year student Rachel Puhl saves the money she receives each year from Meramec.
“I don’t really count on it,” Puhl said. “I just save it until it is needed.”
For students signed up to take late-start classes, they will not receive their refunds until the third week of October, at the earliest. Late-start students will still go through the same process as other students.
This process will start over again for the spring semester when students enroll for the next academic year. According to STLCC, the five-week rule will still be in effect next year.
