I recently received a call from another Scottish Institution about this.
apparently (although I have not seen it) a non-means-tested award letter
from SAAS states
We pay - 0.00
You pay - 0.00
which could prompt students to refuse to pay anything. I have suggested
that SAAS issue a clarification letter to HEI's which we can produce in
such cases. If the problem is more widespread, perhaps DfEE might consider
something similar.
Alastair
At 11:30 27/08/99 +0100, you wrote:
> We have received a number of incorrect Financial Assesments from LEAs
>that appear to be part of a pattern, and might relate to underlying
>software problems of a more widespread nature.
>
>-----------------------------------
>
> The first problem pair were from Harrow and Manchester, who appear to be
>using the same software, judging by the design of the form. Both cases
>were students who had applied for the minimum award of a non-means-tested
>loan, and presumably had therefore supplied no income data. These
>Finanacial Assessments read:
>
>36: Maximum fee for which support is available: 0.00 (should be 1025)
>37: Assessed contribution to fees you pay direct to
> your university/college: 0.00 (should be 1025)
>38: FEES PAID ON YOUR BEHALF TO YOUR
> UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE (Box 36 minus Box 37) 0.00 (correct)
>
>These forms also showed 0.00 in boxes 27, 28, 29 for Student and Parental/
>spouse contributions, where SSIN 21/99 requires the word "FULL".
>
>The biggest problem with these notifications is that they suggest to the
>student that they need not pay any University fees, when in fact they are
>due to pay 1025.
>
>---------------------------------------------
>
>The next case was from Richmond upon Thames, which is using different
>software from the two above. Again, the case was a minimum award for the
>non-means-tested loan only. This Financial Assessment read:
>
>36: Maximum fee for which support is available: 1025 (correct)
>37: Assessed contribution to fees you pay direct to
> your university/college: 0 (should be 1025)
>38: FEES PAID ON YOUR BEHALF TO YOUR
> UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE (Box 36 minus Box 37) 0 !!!
>
>Even the arithmetic doesn't work! And again the form suggests to the
>student that they will not be expected to pay University Fees when in fact
>they are. Other technical (less important) errors on this form were that
>boxes 42 and 43 showed zero, where SSIN 21/99 requires 910 in both. But
>they correctly put the word "FULL" in boxes 27, 28, 29.
>
>--
>Robin Walker, (Junior Bursar), Queens' College, Cambridge, CB3 9ET, GB
>[log in to unmask] http://www.quns.cam.ac.uk/ Tel:+44 1223 335528 Fax:335566
>
>
>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mr Alastair E W Work MA MIPD
Director of Registry
University of St Andrews
Scotland
[log in to unmask]
+1334 46 2115 (phone) 2123 (fax)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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