Southern students anticipate spring 2008 refund checks

Just like the beginning of most semesters at Southern University, there is at least one major issue on the minds of many students during this fourth week of school: refund checks.
Refund checks-excess of financial aid and scholarships paid to a student once all other fees have been paid-are commonly used by students to cover expenses, including books, transportation, housing and food.
Processed by the Cashier’s and Collector’s Office daily, many checks have already been mailed to students for this spring semester, according to Bursar Demetria George.
But for students who are still expecting a refund check, waiting to receive those funds can be a frustrating process in which they are uncertain about why there is such a delay.
“Last semester, the Cashier’s Office told me that my check was in the mail. But, it was in the mail for a long time,” said Karla Washington, a freshman education student from Baton Rouge.
The Cashier’s Office has a process that allows a student to stop the payment of a check they have not received within ten business days of it being mailed. Once payment is ceased on the missing check, which usually takes three business days, a student can pick up a new check at the Cashier’s Office.
The determining factor for when a student receives a refund check is “when aid is posted to their account by financial aid,” said George. Once aid is posted, the Cashier’s Office will then post the refund amount to the account.
Within three business days of the refund amount being posted to a student’s account, a check for that amount will be mailed to the student’s mailing address. Students can elect to have their refund checks mailed to their Southern mail box.
George recommends that students be aware of the timeline of when refund checks are mailed in order to eliminate confusion regarding the process.
Recently, George participated in discussions about replacing the process of mailing refund checks with depositing them into students’ bank accounts.
“We have looked at purchasing a software to assist in depositing (refund checks) into students’ accounts,” said George.
For students like Starshae Traylor, a junior biology major from Oakland who said she was given inadequate assistance in the past at the Cashier’s Office, the possibility of directly deposited refunds is good news.
“It is a good idea so that you don’t have to worry about the three days that it takes to mail your check,” said Traylor.