Student veterans at Georgia State frustrated by delays in federal funding

ATLANTA — Student veterans at Georgia State University contacted Channel 2 Action News frustrated by what they call delays in receiving federal money.

“I have to fight tooth and nail to get the money that the school is holding on to while we are trying to study, trying to get to class, you know struggling,” said Roger Currie, who served in the Navy for the love of his country, but also for the added benefit of a free education.

Currier and other veterans at Georgia State University told Channel 2 Action News that the school is delayed in releasing veterans’ Federal Pell Grants grant funds.

“It makes me sick to my stomach, I can’t focus on school it stresses me out. I feel like I’m going to get gray hair every day doing it,” Currie said.

“As with all students, the university will refund students after that date if all aid received on behalf of a student exceeds the amount owed the university.  The timeline for refunds is contingent on when all aid is received by the university by the VA,” said Shari Piotrowski, the registrar at Georgia State University.

GSU is reimbursed for tuition costs for veterans through the Post- 9/11 GI Bill, but veterans say they are not sure why their reimbursements for the Pell Grants are being delayed.

“There doesn’t seem to be a justification for such a long delay getting the money to us,” said Brock Burch, a student veteran.  Brock said they are unsure what is causing the delays but believe it may stem from a processing issue at GSU.

“Some guys, this is all they got. This is what gets them by, this money,” Burch said.

The U.S. Veterans Administration disburses living expenses directly to students but that is not what students say they are having trouble with.

They said the problem lies in some kind of process delay in getting Pell grant money.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said they will also look into the issue.

WSBTV