2008 Woodie Awards
After initial setbacks Eaglenet takes flight in right direction
Program makes strides by cutting down on lines at financial aid office
Kimberly VanWinkle
Issue date: 1/26/06 Section: News
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Last semester Kirkwood students found themselves frustrated while waiting in long lines at the financial aid office.
Jarred Cox, a sophomore majoring in psychology, had trouble with his FASFA not being processed. "I had to make several trips to the [financial aid] office and wait in a long line just to ask a simple question. I wish the process was a lot simpler than it is."
Students like Cox attended counseling sessions to explain the process of financial aid. But one of the biggest problems still remained in the office itself.
"They need to have more than one or two people working on busy days," commented Cox. "My advice is to not go to the financial aid counter the first few days of the new semester; lines will be out the door," he added.
The new administrative computer system set up before the fall semester proved to be a challenge as the staff learned how to use the new software.
Peg Julius, director of enrollment management, said there was a training issue and problems with getting the materials out to the staff. Not only did the staff have to learn how to operate the software but also how to interpret it, she explained. There was also an issue with students learning their ID numbers of Eaglenet. Julius said since students didn't know their number it caused more anxiety for them and made it difficult for the staff working with the new system.
Julius said the bookstore was also linked to the software but the interface wasn't ready, and stated that the bookstore was handicapped because they had to do things manually which slowed them down and put the bookstore at a disadvantage. A week before the fall semester began a financial aid staff member was sent down to the bookstore so that students didn't have to go from the long lines at the bookstore to the long line at the main office.
"Now that we are used to the new facility and have the interface up and running, things have gone 150 percent better," said Julius.
Jarred Cox, a sophomore majoring in psychology, had trouble with his FASFA not being processed. "I had to make several trips to the [financial aid] office and wait in a long line just to ask a simple question. I wish the process was a lot simpler than it is."
Students like Cox attended counseling sessions to explain the process of financial aid. But one of the biggest problems still remained in the office itself.
"They need to have more than one or two people working on busy days," commented Cox. "My advice is to not go to the financial aid counter the first few days of the new semester; lines will be out the door," he added.
The new administrative computer system set up before the fall semester proved to be a challenge as the staff learned how to use the new software.
Peg Julius, director of enrollment management, said there was a training issue and problems with getting the materials out to the staff. Not only did the staff have to learn how to operate the software but also how to interpret it, she explained. There was also an issue with students learning their ID numbers of Eaglenet. Julius said since students didn't know their number it caused more anxiety for them and made it difficult for the staff working with the new system.
Julius said the bookstore was also linked to the software but the interface wasn't ready, and stated that the bookstore was handicapped because they had to do things manually which slowed them down and put the bookstore at a disadvantage. A week before the fall semester began a financial aid staff member was sent down to the bookstore so that students didn't have to go from the long lines at the bookstore to the long line at the main office.
"Now that we are used to the new facility and have the interface up and running, things have gone 150 percent better," said Julius.