What is a Solution Center anyway?

Be forewarned, it’s risky to phone the Student Solution Center and open with the joke, “I need a solution!” We’ve heard that one before, a few times, and it might not get the laugh you’re hoping for. On the other hand, maybe the idea that we’re the random solution source is pretty much on target.  At the Solution Center, we do try to answer your questions about everything or at least everything related to Saint Rose. Don’t ask me about things like the rules of football (there’s like . . . a zillion, right?) or auto repair.  Still, a central part of the Solution Center concept is the notion that you can turn to us with any Saint Rose question.  If we don’t have the answer, we’ll help you find it.  Not even Jeeves does that!  BTW, I guess it’s just Ask.com now?  No more Jeeves.  Apparently, Jeeves retired?

More specifically, the Student Solution Center is designed to assist students with matters related to the Registrar, Financial Aid and Bursar offices.  This means that we handle a lot of questions about things like course registration, tuition bills, payments, and financial aid requirements.  We’re three offices rolled into one, like those combination Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver’s shops, except we’re better for you.

Students are sometimes confused because, although we support the Bursar, Financial Aid and Registrar, we are separate from them.  Add to the confusion that we are all located in the same general area and that we share a common phone number and students are sometimes left scratching their heads.  Here’s the reasoning behind it all.  As you might have noticed, financial aid, billing and registration are highly interrelated.  For example, if you drop a class, it could affect your financial aid eligibility.  Or, if you discover you have a remaining balance on your tuition bill, it might be related to outstanding requirements that have prevented financial aid from paying to your account.  In a world without the Solution Center, students might need to go to several offices to manage various aspects of their student accounts stemming from a single issue.

The Student Solution Center acts as a one-stop shop where students receive comprehensive assistance.  Hopefully, we can save you from traveling to several different offices and help identify unforeseen variables that might pertain to your questions.  In those cases where we can’t solve your issues immediately, we will put you in touch with a representative from the Bursar, Financial Aid or Registrar offices who can assist you.

So that’s the Solution Center concept:  centralized, convenient, multifaceted help.  Although, I have to admit, I think it would be OK with me if we offered some sort of snacks as well.  Maybe not chalupas or hushpuppies.  Any chance we could move the Starbucks to the third floor of Saint Joe’s?