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Bieshmahaw's stories of financial aid officer's woes on the Sucky Customers forum (http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=33767) reminded me of something that happened when I was in college. I started a new thread because I did not want to hi-jack Bieshmahaw's.
Back in 1980, when I first started college (yep, I'm old), computerized systems were just barely in use for administrative purposes at my university, so our financial aid records were in physical file folders and most awards and information were typed out via type writers on triplicate carbon paper forms. Hence, whenever a student came into the Financial Aid Office, the first thing the officer needed to know was whether the student already had a file so it could be pulled and consulted.
My sophomore year, I was waiting for something at the front counter in the Financial Aid Office when a very effeminate male freshman came in with a question. The officer behind the counter at that moment was one of the sweetest, most genteel, and soft-spoken little old ladies you ever could meet. As had been her habit for the past thirty or more years she had worked at the university, she asked him, "First off, do you have aid?"
The freshman's mouth fell open for a moment and then he began yelling that that information was none of her business, and how dare she make such an assumption about him, and what did that have to do with his getting a grant, and how even if he was sick it didn't mean anything as to whether he was qualified, and how he was going to go to the Dean's office and the press about this. He went on ranting like this to that poor, naive woman who obviously had no idea of what she had said and who literally stood frozen with shock as her eyes got bigger and bigger.
Another officer who had heard all this finally ran up and explained to him that she was asking if he already had financial aid. The freshman calmed down, but did not apologize for his outburst. That sweet old lady was visibly shaken and let the other officer handle the freshman's questions while she hastily walked into an office and closed the door.
I also had to excuse myself as I was about to crack up.
Back in 1980, when I first started college (yep, I'm old), computerized systems were just barely in use for administrative purposes at my university, so our financial aid records were in physical file folders and most awards and information were typed out via type writers on triplicate carbon paper forms. Hence, whenever a student came into the Financial Aid Office, the first thing the officer needed to know was whether the student already had a file so it could be pulled and consulted.
My sophomore year, I was waiting for something at the front counter in the Financial Aid Office when a very effeminate male freshman came in with a question. The officer behind the counter at that moment was one of the sweetest, most genteel, and soft-spoken little old ladies you ever could meet. As had been her habit for the past thirty or more years she had worked at the university, she asked him, "First off, do you have aid?"
The freshman's mouth fell open for a moment and then he began yelling that that information was none of her business, and how dare she make such an assumption about him, and what did that have to do with his getting a grant, and how even if he was sick it didn't mean anything as to whether he was qualified, and how he was going to go to the Dean's office and the press about this. He went on ranting like this to that poor, naive woman who obviously had no idea of what she had said and who literally stood frozen with shock as her eyes got bigger and bigger.
Another officer who had heard all this finally ran up and explained to him that she was asking if he already had financial aid. The freshman calmed down, but did not apologize for his outburst. That sweet old lady was visibly shaken and let the other officer handle the freshman's questions while she hastily walked into an office and closed the door.
I also had to excuse myself as I was about to crack up.
What a foot-in-mouth occasion.
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