December 3, 2017, draft press release constructed for an assignment
The university announced a new policy effective October 18 for Spring 2018 registration, which states that any student with an outstanding balance over $200 will be blocked from registering. This new policy is affecting many students this year. Students can confirm whether this policy affects them by checking their account status on Web Advisor.
Associate Vice President Enrollment Management, Blake, said any student affected by this policy should seek assistance at Student Central, which is located inside the Waffle House.
Student Accounts stated if a student has an outstanding balance, they can either pay off their balance completely or sign up for a payment plan called signmylifeaway. Students do not need to have any credit history to qualify. There is a one-time enrollment fee of 10 percent down, and amounts differ among students depending on the total of the outstanding balance. Students can choose between a 6-12 monthly payment plan that accommodates their needs.
Bubble gum Assistant Director, Harvey says the university will work with students to accommodate their personal needs and circumstances. They take into consideration the student’s payment history, academic history, and personal issues or living situations.
The university has a history of trying different policies. Originally, there was a policy that stated, “If you owe anything, you have to pay it back,” said the assistant director. Additionally, she mentions a student could not register for new classes without paying the full balance in previous years. She said then the university wanted to remove barriers and try a more tolerant approach. For three years the university allowed outstanding balances, because the college didn’t want to be viewed as not letting students register for classes because a student owed money, said Harvey.
She said the college has tried both options in the past and has found that this way is beneficial for both the student and the college. “For some students, the reality may be hard now, but long-term it will be beneficial,” said Harvey.
Before this policy was enforced, Harvey said the university was losing operating funds and students couldn’t graduate to move forward with their educational goals.
An academic advisor stated, “My Perkins’ grant gives me a retention list in which I follow students in the Criminal Justice Program. I have found at this point in time compared with last year my spring enrollment is behind about 22 percent. Last year before Thanksgiving 62 percent of my retention list had registered for the spring. This year 40 percent have and that is with me rounding the percentage off. The difference right now is about 26 students which if all are enrolling full time amounts to about $65,000 dollars. It’s more if you consider I had forty more students in my cohort last year than I do this year. Despite this, I think it is good because you certainly don’t want to run up debt and if that debt is not advancing the student in their studies. Many of the students I work with have difficulty being successful in college and ringing up debt is not the correct way to go about it. I don’t know if it alerts students to value what they are paying for more, that is too early to tell.”
The college questioned if they were really helping the students. If the college allows students to accumulate an out-standing balance, come graduation time the student will not be able to receive their degree or acquire official transcripts to continue their education at a four-year institution.
“I think the biggest impact is to the student population. Since many students don’t check their school email, there is a disconnect on the communication. We always point to the college email as the official communication and I’m shocked by the number of students that don’t check their accounts. Many community colleges and four-year institutions have similar policies, so I feel this will prepare students as they move forward in life,” said Blake.
Harvey said there was plenty of notice in advance to students. At the end of December 2016, student accounts mailed out a postcard to every student informing every one of the new policy, said Harvey. There were also automated phone calls that were placed to every student who had a balance of $200 or more, to warn of the future policy that would soon be taking effect.
Harvey said the new policy was a “shock to the system.” She added, “meaning a shock for students who had become accustomed to being allowed to register for classes despite having a balance owed to the College.” Harvey additionally said the university was in fact fearful of a mass uprising before it enforced this new policy.
“The university knew the possibility of the unfortunate loss that some students may have to leave the college, but it was a loss that had to happen to enforce this new policy,” said Harvey.
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