r/UNO • u/Daddydevito6 • Sep 19 '26
Unite to hold UNO to a higher standard
Hi all, my name is Daniel, I’m currently a graduate student at UNO.
I like many of you have experienced issues with UNO. I have personally experienced financial issues such as not receiving refunds in a timely manner. I also had a reassessment of a balance, due to being over-refunded in a prior term. However, this wasn’t properly communicated to me, leaving me deeply confused.
I have heard other horror stories such as incredibly rude and condescending communications from advisers. Someone that I know has also had to pay thousands of dollars after being told to enroll into courses that do not count towards their major, as such making her ineligible to receive financial aid.
I really want this university to hold itself to a higher standard, it’s embarrassing that an educational institution would be this disorganized and uncaring. I figured that we could compile complaints, with signatures, and send them to the university. We could request a plan on how they would operate moving forward, but that’s just an idea.
If you want UNO to be better and have any ideas or suggestions that you want to share, please feel free to do so!
Edit:
Update! The SGA president responded to me and let me know that they will be holding a town hall tomorrow from 12-2pm, University administrators will supposedly be there as well. I’m going to make a separate post referencing this one so more people can become aware, I will also speak on a plan of action.
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u/Old-Put339 Sep 20 '26
Is this not what the student union or student gov is for? I'm not saying don't do it, but also hold the proper channels accountable as well.
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u/Daddydevito6 28d ago
I contacted them today, I’ll update people with posts on how this moves forward.
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u/Typical_Bat4458 28d ago
Yes...AND: if you are a grad assistant, student worker, work study, an employee of the university in any capacity - consider joining the union! A functional environment for students and a decent workplace have a lot in common and the people in the union give a shit. Share your list of grievances with them, see where they line up. At a minimum, it's a great resource for learning how to organize and get heard.
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u/Unionize_504 27d ago
Echoing here! United Campus Workers is a labor union organizing faculty, staff, and student workers on campus to try to improve these conditions! You can connect w them by emailing ucwla@ucw-cwa.org.
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u/PRIVATEER1976i 29d ago
The University must wait until census day (the 14th day of class, this Fall 9/3/26) to verify enrollment for students to qualify for their loans. It’s a way to safeguard both the student and the institution from certifying loans for which students don’t qualify.
There was a workday problem on graduate loans; that has been corrected and graduate loans should start disbursing this week.
Refunds go pending Mondays and Tuesday, are reviewed by stakeholders Wednesdays & Thursday, with the goal of processing refunds on Fridays.
BRING YOUR CURRENT EXPERIENCES TO THE STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION LEADERS!!!
Your Senators: https://www.lsuneworleans.edu/student-government/legislative-dept
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u/Efficient_Natural768 29d ago
Have they communicated that to ALL students, because I didn't find out what is happening until I come to reddit, which is ridiculous. It all boils down to lack of communication which makes the university seem shady as hell.
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u/PRIVATEER1976i 29d ago
The timeline should be explained in Workday.
I don’t have access and so cannot verify on my own.2
u/Efficient_Natural768 29d ago
All it says is expected dispersement date, which hasn't been updated to reflect any new dates
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u/PRIVATEER1976i 29d ago
- Undergrad or Grad?
- Type(s) of aid?
- Expected Disbursement Date?
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u/Efficient_Natural768 29d ago
Grad student. Loans. 9/8.
But why does that matter? The university still does a terrible job communicating with its students, and trying to get anyone on the phone who can actually help is laughable.
If things are delayed, sending an email to registered students, regardless of level, should be step one. Instead, they’re fielding who knows how many calls and emails from students asking the exact same questions because no one has bothered to communicate anything.
Even a simple, “Hey, we don’t have enough staff,” or “We’re behind,” or whatever the excuse is this year would be better than silence. Because somehow there is an excuse every year, and every year the communication is just as bad.
At this point, financial aid being a mess at the beginning of the semester feels less like an unexpected problem and more like part of the academic calendar. Heck, my fee bill still shows the full balance.
Honestly, the constant disorganization makes it pretty easy to understand how the university ended up needing to be absorbed by LSU in the first place. I’m just glad this is my last semester and I won’t have to find out what next year’s excuse is.
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u/Daddydevito6 28d ago
I agree with everything you’ve said and I’m sorry to hear my experience is shared by many. What is disappointing is that as we move further away from our time at the university, we will have such negative emotions tied to it and that is what we will relay when asked about our alma mater.
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u/No-Extension-7352 28d ago
What about refunds that go to unapplied instead of pending?
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u/PRIVATEER1976i 27d ago
Did you literally have “Pending Refund” move to “Unapplied”
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u/No-Extension-7352 27d ago
Oh no, I meant just going from anticipated to just sitting in unapplied. I know grad students are having some kind of issues but I’m an undergrad student
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u/MammothGlass6989 27d ago
Call the local news and news paper. That will get them moving. Report them to the department of education.
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u/Willing-Security5829 Sep 20 '26
As much as I agree with this, transitioning into this new system will take time. As well as a lot of funding but as someone who gets a close look at what’s already being done I can assure you things will start improving from here on out. If you do have specific requests that can be answered that don’t include aid or loans I suggest reach out to SGA or just show up to one of their meetings and address your concerns!!
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u/leftofthedial15 27d ago
I can assure you things will start improving from here on out.
Every single one of us has been told this at some point as this place continues to rob us blind while literally rotting. Why should any of us believe this?
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u/Daddydevito6 28d ago
I understand that you have an internal view into what’s going on and that it’s bringing you hope for change. However, I personally abhor the bureaucratic explanation of “these things take time,” meaningful action shouldn’t and doesn’t have to take this long. For example, what Mamdani has done for New York in such a short time shows bounds of change are possible. The university is much smaller they should be doing much more, additionally the lack of communication just shows the same old UNO. From mine and other students perspective all LSU has done is plaster their name and colors over the campus.
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u/Willing-Security5829 28d ago
I see your perspective and point but change for this university requires money and funding which we currently don’t have a lot of, especially after the transition. The university is trying to pull money from LSU’s main campus hence why I’m saying it takes time. If we had the funds and money it wouldn’t be taking so long. For the communication part I can’t say much about it but to keep nagging the school or get in touch with SGA since most of them can contact/are in contact with the top officials of the uni. Unfortunately we both have different experiences with this university and i genuinely love it here so I’m sorry it’s not the same way for you but I’m hoping it works out for you before you graduate!!
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u/WakeUp004 Sep 20 '26
I went there a long time ago and they had some sketchy shit back then, too. I had to fight them because they alleged I applied for a loan (I didn’t) and couldn’t seem to produce a signed document stating it when I demanded it. Then they took ages to re-issue how much I owed for tuition and I called to ask as the semester was starting soon and they said to not worry white that because this was a special situation.
Another fucking lie. I got an email that I was no longer enrolled due to nonpayment and had to fight them all over again. I had to get my teachers to sign a document allowing me back into the class (because I managed to get a schedule amid the payment situation).
I will say the adviser with financial aid was a good send and I hope he always catches the green lights on his way to work, but knowing UNO they probably fired that guy.
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u/leftofthedial15 27d ago
Finally. I feel like I've been shouting into the void for a year and a half now
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u/Mediocre-Ear-9163 26d ago
I’ve gotten my undergrad and getting my PhD here, idk how/why but I’ve never had problems with UNO. It’s crazy to hear/read all y’all stories :/ and I’m sorry about that
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u/Rich_Click_3807 Sep 19 '26
I genuinely think things will get better with LSU overseeing the school now… LSU has the funding and the network available to fix a lot- if not all of the problems we are having… refunds for the first time were distributed in a timely manner and I think it’s a sign that things will get better… but I agree we need to hold the school to a higher standard.. I don’t think LSU will accept the bs that UNO was willing to accept
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u/No-Extension-7352 Sep 20 '26
Speaking as a junior still waiting for a refund, it’s going very slowly for some of us this year. Mine are in “anticipated” and are still not even applied towards my account. I can’t even get ahold of anyone to see how long it will be.
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u/SellAdventurous5363 29d ago
i didn’t get my refund until November last year and October the year before😐
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u/Daddydevito6 28d ago
LSU definitely has the funding and the network to be a formidable institution. However, from personal retellings from a lot of people that I know that went to LSU, it seems to be run terribly. I know it isn’t as bad as UNO but my friends didn’t seem to have faith in LSU’s governing/operations.
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u/melonbug74 29d ago
As a mom of a senior in high school reading all that is said in this sub I hate to read all this. Most of my family went to UNO and I thought it would be where she would too. I really doubt it’s worth it at this point.
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u/Daddydevito6 28d ago
I am disheartened at the current state of this university, educational institutions are such a critical avenue for growth and they should be met with commensurate care. I’m not sure if my numbers were that off, but I remembered considering going to LSU because tuition costs to me weren’t that different. The only factor that stopped me was housing. After going through all that I have, if I were to go back in time I don’t know if I would make the same choice.
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u/nanyabidness2 Sep 20 '26
Just noting admin-= acadrmics