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July 31, 2007

Editorial/Our View

An “A” for Action

Students depend on university officials to quickly make the right decisions

Mishandling a problem can shake a university to its foundation. A mistake can quickly create an unhappy and dissatisfied student body. Recent events, such as insufficient state funds for the B-On-Time loan program and a campus bedbug infestation, could have had such consequences, but the university dealt with these issues well.

While Texas A&M University and UT-Austin jumped the gun and began offering the no-interest loans before it was announced how much money, if any, would be appropriated to the program, UTA’s Financial Aid Office set up a waiting list for students interested in the loans. The office waited to see if funding would be available to the program.

On July 15, schools were notified that the Texas B-On-Time program would not be offered in the fall.

If the Financial Aid Office had taken steps similar to UT-Austin and Texas A&M University, there would be more than 450 students left high and dry and having to come up with money to cover tuition.

In the case of the bedbug infestation, university officials in Housing and the Facilities Management Office immediately began notifying on-campus residents with fliers and provided pest control services to those affected.

Although only one case was confirmed, the immediate action by the university probably stopped an epidemic from occurring in more on-campus residences. It also informed residents to be aware of the problem.

Quick and proactive moves like these allow students to have confidence in their school and feel ensured that the university is on top of all issues that affect them.

The two issues last week could have given a black eye to the university, but instead it showed university officials can act swiftly and decisively during a potential crisis.