Fort Valley State University

By Brandon Mackey, student intern

Fort Valley State University’s Office of Financial Aid and Veteran affairs is using an all-electronic computer system this fall in an effort to prevent long registration lines. Director Eula Solomon expects to see great success with the kiosks. The eleven desktop systems were purchased through Title III funding, for a total of $9,191.00.

“We did not invent the wheel, we just duplicated it and implemented it into our system,” Solomon says of the awarding process. The kiosks, which have been in use in small numbers since August, were designed to shorten lines, free up counselors’ time and ease students’ minds.

During past registration periods, the Financial Aid office has been swamped with students who form lines that go down the hall and around the corner. This year will be different. “There will be lines,” says Solomon, “but they won’t be registration lines.”

The electronic system is expected to help greatly with time management. In the past, it could take an advisor up to forty-five minutes to walk one student through the financial aid and registration process. After activating the kiosk system in 2007, the department served 1,300 students in less than fifteen minutes. By using the computerized system, the department has already helped 2,800 students for fall 2008.