ETSU aid problemsDear Editor,
In regard to your inquiry of financial aid problems, I must say that I absolutely have had problems with that office, every year since my return to school. I am a disabled student and I do not receive Vocational Rehabilitation payments. I do, however, receive the “reduced tuition” that I am eligible for because I am a disabled student.
Because of this, they take it upon themselves to reduce my budget, therefore cutting my aid by the amount of tuition. Last year I printed off certain federal rules and regulations, took them to their office, and they then decided that if I turned in certain paperwork attesting to certain financial requirements, then they would give me the full amount of financial aid that I was eligible for at that time.
Because of this, they also filed a complaint against me with the dean of students alleging that I caused a scene when in reality they brought me to tears and humiliated me. This year, it is happening again and I still have not received my student loans. They have sent me a revised award letter, which I have not signed or turned in because they are trying to reduce my aid again because like last year, I am unwilling to have two different award letters with my signature floating around. I am an “independent” student, receive a measly amount of Social Security Disability payments (which is not even enough to live, truly), and am a single parent.
My finances are less than many other students who are able to work and attend school, yet they do their best to reduce my aid every year. This year they are not working with me in order to try to “increase” my budget so that I can receive the amount of aid that I qualify for, which happens to be the maximum amounts.
I have had it up to my eyeballs with them to the point that I will not attend ETSU for graduate school or to get my teaching certification. I am to the point of gathering all the disabled students I can find and forming a protest because I feel that they are discriminating against me and am sure that I am not the only disabled student they are doing this to.
Because I am receiving a “reduced” tuition, the financial aid office is taking it upon themselves to play God and reduce my aid even though I qualify for the maximum amounts.
-Jennifer Cinnamon

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