>Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 11:31:39 -0400
>To: Jonathan Looney <[log in to unmask]>
>From: Noelle Beck <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Re: [UTCSTAFF] Failure to attend classes form
>In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]>
>References: <[log in to unmask]>
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>       If we are just talking about federal student loans, as Linda has said, it
may not be wise thinking on their part re: buying tires, furniture, etc,
but this is their choice if they wish to spend years paying interest.  If
we are talking about grants, this is a whole other story.  I work hard at
my job to pay my taxes and school loans.  It is one thing if the money is
repaid, i.e., for a loan, however , I do have a problem with grants being
used for non-essential items.
>       Also, on more than one occasion I have heard students bragging about
receiving food stamps by not reporting money they receive from their
parents and then pooling the food stamps to have parties!  This appalls me!
 It is not just me paying those tax dollars, but all of you also.
>
>At 10:32 AM 5/17/01 -0400, you wrote:
>>At 08:39 AM 5/17/01 -0400, Linda Hobart wrote:
>>
>>>Jonathan,
>>>
>>>I've heard some very disturbing stories from "financial aid" students.
>>>Such as:  they get so much money "over and above" what their education
>>>costs them each semester that they use the excess (sometimes excesses of
>>>more than a thousand dollars!!) to buy furniture for their apartments or
>>>new tires for their cars, etc.).
>>
>>Transportation costs and rent are also considered part of every
>>institution's "Cost of Attendance". These are considered to be
>>"non-institutional" costs, as they aren't paid directly to the university,
>>but are still considered legitimate educationally related costs. I don't
>>think we could give students money to rent an apartment, but tell them they
>>have to sleep on the floor. ;-)
>>
>> I've heard this from 'several' students
>>>now who were receiving financial aid, and they were bragging about how much
>>>money they get just to go to school!  Isn't there some way the university
>>>could just pay the university for their expenses, or require receipts for
>>>expenses, instead of just handing these checks over to the students who
>>>then use the excess for what it wasn't intended for?
>>>
>>Many of the students who receive money beyond what their tuition, books,
>>and dorm cost are taking out student loans to accomplish this. There are
>>some extremely bright students that have large scholarships and some
>>extremely needy students with large grants, but more than half of the
>>students that graduated last week had student loans while they were here.
>>Students do still need money to eat, put gas in their cars, pay rent, etc.
>>I'm sure my friends in the Bursar's Office would love to hold students'
>>financial aid checks and only give them money when they brought in receipts.
>>
>>Linda, I'm sure there are some students that abuse the system. However,
>>it's impossible to monitor what students are spending their money on once
>>they have received their funds.
>>
>>There was an interesting article in the "USA Today" recently that said the
>>main problem with financial aid was not corruption or inefficiency, but a
>>lack of federal funds to keep up with the escalating costs of higher
>>education. Unfortunately for Tennessee students, we keep passing along the
>>burden to the students (13% increase possible in overall fees if my
>>calculator is working correctly) since the state won't/can't give us the
>>money we need to keep this place running. This will mean more and more of
>>our students are forced to borrow to pay their way through college.
>>
>>Linda, I appreciate the concerns you raise. The U.S. Dept. of Education
>>does not permit us to award students funds beyond their cost of attendance.
>>But this cost of attendance does include items such as food,
>>transportation, rent, etc.
>>
>>Sincerely,
>>
>>
>>Jonathan Looney
>>Director - Student Financial Aid
>>University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
>>
Noelle Beck, RN, CRRN
Student Health Service
615 McCallie Ave.
Chattanooga,TN 37403
(423) 755-4453
(423) 785-2266 fax