Local

Students say they're out money from metro college

ATLANTA — Channel 2 Action News has learned dozens of students at a metro Atlanta college are waiting on thousands of dollars in refunds they should have received months ago.
 
Channel 2's Matt Belanger found leaders at Carver College and the Federal Department of Education have conflicting stories about why the refunds are late.
 
Dion Jones told Belanger he walked away with his associate's degree from Carver College earlier this month.
 
But he says the college still owes him about $2,700 in unused money from his federal PELL grant because the government paid his tuition bill as an army veteran.
 
He said dozens of other Carver students are in similar situations.
 
"A lot of students have been patient, praying and waiting, praying an answer comes soon," Jones said.
 
Jones showed Belanger letters from Carver's president Robert Crummie dating back to February apologizing for the delayed refunds, stating the school made errors processing financial aid and worked to fix the issues.
 
The latest letter sent Tuesday afternoon gives no estimate when students can expect the money due and blames the delay on the U.S. Department of Education.
 
That's also what Crummie sent Belanger in an email, where he wrote Carver is "waiting for their approval to release the rest of the funds."
 
Belanger checked with the DOE, and a spokesperson told said, "The Department did not instruct Carver College personnel to freeze the disbursement of school refunds to students."
 
Crummie stopped responding to Belanger's emails so he went to his house to try to clear things up, but no one answered the door.
 
"They've been so patient with the president and his staff at Carver but there are still unanswered questions," Jones said.
 
We will continue to reach out to officials at Carver College to get answers about why these students haven't received the money they are owed.