Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                            Bridget Brown    Matthew Dulin 
Ray Hafner                  Geronimo Rodriguez                Lisa Street

Miscommunication

They say communication is the foundation of any good relationship.

If that's the case, then Student Financial Services, the Cougar 1Card office and UH students are on the verge of breaking up.

When the bursar's office decided to force students to choose an option on how to receive their refunds rather than sending checks to students who failed to choose, more than 4,000 students didn't receive refunds in a timely manner.

Those students are only now realizing they aren't getting refund checks, because the notices that were sent out appear to have done little to let students know about the change. With the change in policy, students would need to have a black Cougar 1Card, activate the card and make the choice online.

But have no fear. After considerable outcry from students and some staff members, the bursar's office and the Cougar 1Card office have decided to return to the old system. The University restored the default-to-check system Friday morning so students should soon begin receiving checks.

Why did this happen in the first place? One has to wonder if UH doesn't want to send checks out any more. Or is it that the Cougar 1Card office would be happier seeing more student money in Cougar 1Card accounts?

Attempting to coerce students into putting money in Cougar 1Card accounts would be both unethical and unsavory, and one can only hope that the office had no such intentions.

The problem isn't just that the University feels compelled to use the withholding of funds to force students into making a choice that doesn't matter all that much. It's also that two University offices apparently had no idea what their counterparts were doing or saying.

Students were told conflicting information by staff and in fliers on campus.

Students have enough trouble paying for school. Don't make it any harder to get our money back.
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