Outraged parents, scholars bombard SHEFA with calls

The Saipan Higher Educational Financial Assistance office has been bombarded by calls from outraged parents and scholars complaining about the continued delay in students’ financial assistance for the current semester.

Board chair Jose Mafnas confirmed receiving calls from angry parents and guardians asking for the release of scholars’ checks so students can start processing their requirements for the next semester.

SHEFA administrator Henry Hofschneinder added that a number of scholars have already been threatened with eviction from their dormitories and apartments because of the non-payment of their rent.

Saipan Tribune learned that the Department of Finance has yet to release $630,900 in financial assistance for SHEFA scholars for the spring 2011 semester, mainly due to the government’s cash-flow problem.

“Parents are calling, students are calling…and conversations are not getting any friendlier. Parents are informing us that their students may be evicted from their apartments if they will not pay their rent. Parents [says] they can no longer provide assistance or help them with their expenses because of the current economic hardship,” said Hofschneider.

He disclosed that many students are worried they may not be able to enroll on time next semester if they fail to pay their debts as their schools may not release their transcripts and other records.

He said his job has come down to responding to outraged callers to explain the government’s fiscal situation.

The spring semester is expected to end this month, yet majority of SHEFA scholars this semester have yet to receive their financial awards. The fall 2012 semester will start in August.

SHEFA records indicate that it had already submitted to Finance three batches of check request; so far, no disbursement has been ordered.

The first request was turned in on April 14 for $587,700, followed on April 20 for $28,000, and then on May 27 for $15,200, altogether totaling $630,900 for field of study and incentive award scholars.

Saipan Tribune learned that of the $906,000 total spring 2011 awards approved, only $182,800 has been disbursed, mostly for grant-in-aid scholars for the current semester.

Hofschneider said that a $92,300 check request will be submitted soon to Finance, completing the total check requests for this semester.

“We’re hopeful that spring semester checks would be released soon so students can pay down their debts for the release of their transcripts so they can register for the next semester,” said Hofschneider.

Because of the expected lower revenue from poker fees, Mafnas concedes that the disbursement of awards for SHEFA scholars will see an “overlap.”

“I have a feeling that there will be overlap again…so we need to make the necessary adjustment as soon as possible. We need to revisit our program and make a decision,” he told board members.

Last fall 2010 semester, SHEFA disbursed $2.3 million in total financial assistance to scholars, leaving just $906,900 for the spring 2011 semester.