In an April 17 email, Emory’s Office of Financial Aid mistakenly told some undergraduate students that they had received the $1,000 Student Support Stipend but these students were later told that the contents of the original email was a mistake.
The original email’s subject line, which reads “2019-20 COVID-19 Dooley Dollar Payout,” was unrelated to the contents of the email. The email did not include any information about Dooley dollar payments, and instead instructed students to set up direct deposits through OPUS to receive the stipend.
Hours later, Assistant Vice Provost for University Financial Aid John Leach told these students that the original email’s subject line was correct but that the contents of the email was not. The office stated the error was due to a technological glitch.
“We deeply regret any confusion the earlier email might have caused you,” the email reads. “Please reach out to your financial aid advisor with any questions.”
The initial email was supposed to state that students, if eligible, were receiving a refund for unused Dooley dollars that remained in excess of the 40% that was originally credited. Not all students who have unused Dooley Dollars received the faulty email nor the follow-up email clarifying the mistake a few hours later.
Some students who received the email told the Wheel they did not apply for the Student Support Stipend and did not consider themselves of “the highest financial need,” a requirement to qualify for the stipend, according to a March 17 email to Emory students from Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Jan Love.
Charlotte Selton (20C), who received the faulty email, said she recognized it was a mistake.
“I thought it was clearly a mistake, although I wouldn’t fault students who found it confusing,” Selton wrote in a statement. “I emailed financial aid notifying them of the glitch and asking for clarification on the Dooley Dollar refund before they issued the clarification. Perhaps sending out mass emails near the end of the day isn’t a good idea if they rush or cannot monitor responses?”
