Many students who are entitled to financial aid
are not receiving their money on time because the
financial aid department is tied up in more than
9,000 appeals, financial aid counselor, Linda Gal-
lucci said.
The 9,000 appeals, which are the most EC has
had in five years, stem from issues where students
may have fallen below the
minimum GPA of a 2.0 or
the minimum 12 units per
semester, Gallucci said.
“Some students are over-
whelmed by things in their
personal lives outside of
school. They may work full-
time or have families they
need to take care of, which
may cause them to fail or
drop classes,” Gallucci said.
“This would disqualify for
financial aid because they
would not meet the neces-
sary criteria,” Gallucci said.
With so many students needing to go through
the appeals process, it leaves less time for the finan-
cial aid staff to acclimate new and returning stu-
dents who do not have to go through the appeals
process problem.
Students who do not have any appeal problems
do not understand why the lines are so long at the
financial aid offices.
“It’s not fair for the students that need the mon-
ey for school supplies to have to wait for our money.
That leaves us in a bad situation,” Monique Robin-
son, 21, sociology major said.
Even after receiving financial aid checks, many
students are finding out that their checks are ac-
tually IOUs from the state of California that can-
not be cashed for as long as 30 days upon receiving
them.
This is due to the statewide budget crisis that is
also handing out IOUs to teachers and other gov-
ernment paid jobs, Gallucci said.
The holds on student’s financial aid checks have
put students in need of im-
mediate cash relief in a diffi-
cult spot.
“I hope they get this situ-
ation straighten out sooner
than later,” Mark Clemens,
23, music major, who could
really use the money, said.
Gallucci said that students
who apply earlier for financial
aid have a better chance at
receiving checks that do not
have holds on them.
But students who apply
early must up-hold their com-
mitment, because if they receive their check and do
not meet the criteria for financial aid, they may face
punishment in the future.
“Students who do receive financial aid and don’t
meet the necessary criteria for that semester will
have to reimburse the state and federal government,
and may be penalized in future school semesters,”
Gallucci said.