"We inadvertently did not consider your monthly educational benefits from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as a financial aid eligibility. Therefore, we are in the process of adjusting your financial aid award. We placed a financial hold on your account while your award is being adjusted."
Simply put, this e-mail tells veterans that the amount of money the school has given them was given in error and until the school fixes its error, veterans won't receive any more money and may be forced to return money they were given (and came to rely on) in error.
For a number of years, UB has not been taking into account the money veterans are awarded by the government when considering their financial need. The result has been a surplus of scholarship money for veterans.
UB discovered this error recently when voluntarily auditing various programs around campus and is now rectifying the problem. If this had been uncovered by a government-ordered audit, the university would have been forced to pay some form of penalty, although the severity of such a penalty is unclear.
In a time of financial crisis, UB is cleaning house, and veterans' benefits are the biggest and easiest target for scrutiny. While the financial aid program is attempting to rectify a problem, they are doing so in such a way that leaves veterans out in the cold.
In addition, if veterans are unable to make ends meet when the rules are followed closely, this exposes yet again a grave problem with the GI Bill that has been common knowledge for several years: it doesn't give veterans enough money.
The GI Bill has not advanced in step with the financial needs of modern education. The majority of those in the armed forces come from lower socio-economic backgrounds and would not be able to afford college without government aid. This is another example of the sickening schism between what the government promises veterans and what it delivers.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
