If a college owed you money.....

[Hilltop Customs]

Well, I'm about out of ideas. My college owes me ~$300 in reimbursements from my graduation project. Its been 6 months since I graduated, and I've been on their butts about it ever since. I've called a few times, emailed constantly, and even visited in person before leaving campus. Every time I contact them it is the same story, "oh we are so busy, email us next week" either that or no response at all. When I visted in person they said if I mailed the paperwork in it would all be taken care of....I mailed the crap in, and its been 6 months now with nothing taken care of.

I'm really starting to get pissed about the whole situation....I wish a family member or friend was a lawyer so I could get them to give them a call. Its getting to the point where I'm more mad about them wasting my time then the money, but I still want the refund since its owed to me and I'm sure if I owed them something, they wouldnt be lenient about it.

Any ideas as to how to deal with this?

[behemoth]

You'd think after giving someone thousands of dollars over a few years, 300 bucks wouldnt be so much to ask....

[aka_mich]

There is always small claims court, or at least the threat of small claims court. If it's a private college they're a business entity just like anything else, I imagine it's a little trickier if they are a public school though.

[MANN]

that sounds about right. every semester you have to fork over ~4k (at least here you do), and if its not paid on or before the deadline they kick you out of school. Out of a miraculous turn of events they owe you money, and you cant do the same. It sucks... good luck. My university still owes me ~ 20.00. I quit tring.

[secretweaponevan]

Submit an invoice. If their accounting department is worth half a crap, they'll pay and code it appropriately.

Here is a template for your invoice:

http://www.invoice-templates.com/invoicetemplate2.htm

[Hilltop Customs]

secretweaponevan, that is a great idea, but I dont have any records of my expenditures....I submitted the receipts with my previous paperwork(actually the previous paperwork was an invoice/explanation of expenditures). I knew I would regret not keeping copies. That pretty much screws me for small claims court too. I never imagined this being such a hassle, when I first went they said they would pay straight out of petty cash, but then the bs started.

During the spring semester, the main excuse was how busy they are, now that its summer its like they just stopped responding all together.

I'm tempted to make a trip up to there again, but I doubt it will make a difference, probably just get ignored again.

[p8ntbal4me]

secretweaponevan, that is a great idea, but I dont have any records of my expenditures....I submitted the receipts with my previous paperwork(actually the previous paperwork was an invoice/explanation of expenditures). I knew I would regret not keeping copies. That pretty much screws me for small claims court too. I never imagined this being such a hassle, when I first went they said they would pay straight out of petty cash, but then the bs started.

During the spring semester, the main excuse was how busy they are, now that its summer its like they just stopped responding all together.

I'm tempted to make a trip up to there again, but I doubt it will make a difference, probably just get ignored again.

Small claims court,... then go to your local paper and make a nice big deal over it.

That tends to get things rolling,....

Imagine the headlines: Hard times for Students Payout, Schools refuse to pay them back

A public blemish for a school (or any business) is something they cant afford to have.

~ P8nt

[Fred]

... By the time I graduated I was forking out 15k a year (after my scholarship), and $300 might have covered... materials, tools and printing costs for 1 presentation, of which I'd have 3-4 per semester...

Do you have it in writing that they are supposed to reimburse you?

Just show up, wait around, and start being a pest. Squeeky wheel gets the attention, and if you actually are THERE, they'll have to get someone to talk to you, or kick you off campus.

[Ando]

They have windows right?
.68 ball bearings and a beatup mag FTW....I kid

I've had the same problem when I was in the military. If they owe you anything it's like pulling teeth but heaven forbid you owe them. They'll rape you sideways.

[neppo1345]

This is probably not to go over too well, but I would simply march into a computer lab with some pliers, snatch up a PC, monitor, and maybe a projector and call it even.

Then again, I am slightly spiteful, lazy, and not all that bright.

[behemoth]

This is probably not to go over too well, but I would simply march into a computer lab with some pliers, snatch up a PC, monitor, and maybe a projector and call it even.

Then again, I am slightly spiteful, lazy, and not all that bright.

Since when do you need pliers to unplug a computer?

[neppo1345]

Since when do you need pliers to unplug a computer?

Since here (we are in the ghetto afterall) they have the computers, monitors, and projectors cabled to the desks and ceilings.

[behemoth]

Since here (we are in the ghetto afterall) they have the computers, monitors, and projectors cabled to the desks and ceilings.

Yeah, i thought about that after the fact.

If they're the cables i'm used to, small bolt cutters would work better than pliers.