Summer Financial Aid

William Sylvester

 to sepeters, konieczny, jberg, chancellor, Deans, vanin, Alicia, jeankim, Alicia, jcastro, bcsolomo, osfa, cmccurdy, rbrun, bcc: Debria, bcc: Debria, bcc: willsylvester show details 10:25 PM (2 hours ago)  fromWilliam Sylvester <wsylvest@student.umass.edu>tosepeters@finaid.umass.edu,
konieczny@finaid.umass.edu,
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ccchancellor@umass.edu,
Deans@stuaf.umass.edu,
vanin@stuaf.umass.edu,
Alicia Smith <asmith@azftf.gov>,
jeankim@stuaf.umass.edu,
Alicia Smith <ASmith@az.gov>,
jcastro@student.umass.edu,
bcsolomo@student.umass.edu,
osfa@osfa.mass.edu,
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rbrun@osfa.mass.edudateTue, Jul 6, 2010 at 10:25 PMsubjectSummer Financial Aidmailed-bystudent.umass.edu hide details 10:25 PM (2 hours ago)  

To the Office of Undergraduate Financial Aid Services,

My name is William Sylvester, and I am currently studying abroad in Salamanca, Spain with the UMass program. I have been waiting since the beginning of June for my aid package. I was told by your department since May that my package would be ready and packages would begin being distributed by the the middle of June, which you website, until recently, reflected the same information.
However, when I entered your offices during this disbursement period, I found out that packages would not begin to be distributed until on or after July 1, which your website now currently reflects. When asked why, I was told that the board had just finished meeting. When asked when they were going to notify students of this change I received both an I don’t know and a soon, I have yet to receive this notice via e-mail or Spire. Spire still has a notice that says:

Financial aid awards will begin to be finalized during the third week in June 
for all Undergraduate students. Graduate students will begin receiving awards 
by the end of June. 

The information provided on the Financial Aid Services website says:
 
The disbursement* of Federal summer loans will occur on a nightly basis



on or after July 1, 2010, once your enrollment of six or more credits



is verified. The disbursement of summer alternative loans will occur at



the time the funds are received, as long as you meet the



eligibility/lender criteria for the loan and the lender has sent the



funds to UMass Amherst. Alternative loan funds are received twice a



week by UMass Amherst.




*This is the day funds are credited to your Bursar account not the day you will receive your excess/refund.


I am writing you, from Spain, to request that you please expatiate myself and all those studying abroad's aid so that we 
can continue to support ourselves as needed while we are away from both the UMass and Amherst community. As some 
may know the dollar does not exchange as well as it used to and for us here in Spain who were banking on this money to 
help in our travels have become increasingly desperate. An upcoming cultural trip to Portugal with our program is costing 
an extra 175 euros which some of us had do borrow and literally beg for. My hope is that someone back home will read this 
and respond back to me, the students I have Cc'd and those who may be abroad and have yet to receive their packages or 
notices about a delivery date on the information for our packages, information on the packages and when the excess will be 
disbursed to the Bursars Office. I also hope you take into consideration my request to expedite the process for those abroad 
including those who are taking part in the Summer Program in Salamanca, Spain.

Thank You for time and support
Hasta Luego,

William Sylvester