SFS working to correct refund error

Last week, students were still waiting in line at the Student Financial Services office, expecting refunds, only to be told the office made a mistake. But SFS Director of Student Services Carol Murphy said, despite "minor" problems, SFS is still providing the "best student services we can offer." Last week, the office discovered that many students mistakenly received postcards indicating that they had refund checks due to them. Murphy attributed the problem to errors made by temporary staff who were hired over winter break. "There are times that services might not be perfect," she said. "This was a mistake and it's easily corrected. It won't happen again." The SFS office changed its usual method of sending out refund checks this year in an effort to improve services, she said. Before this year, refund check notification was sent in the middle of January, after the post-break peak period ended. But because of a student's suggestion, the office decided to add temporary staff members over break to prepare and mail postcards for immediate notification, Murphy said. "We were trying to provide the best services to our students," she said. "And we came upon a minor glitch." Murphy said she cannot determine exactly how many students wrongly received postcards, although she said the number was "really small." She did say, however, that 1,500 actual refund checks were generated over break. According to Murphy, the "clerical error" did not cause major problems for some of the students affected by the errors because they had to go to SFS for other reasons. She added that only a small number of students were truly inconvenienced. Murphy said the SFS staff sees a "high volume" of customers at this point in the year, which contributes to the lengthy lines and irritable customers. She added that the staff is prepared for the influx of students, and attempts to accommodate them.

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