By 7:30 this morning, 400 students are estimated to be in line for more than 1,800 financial aid refund checks.
If students have extra money in their account after financial aid pays their tuition, fees, books and room and board, they get a check.
"You can come in pick up your check and walk out," said Leo Moya, head bursar. "But it's not that easy."
Last spring, the Daily Lobo reported students spent up to two hours in line waiting for refund checks. Previously, the disbursement method was staggered based on students' social security numbers, but was changed to a free-for-all, letting students come at any time during the week to pick up their check.
"It made it a smoother process, but it extended the (wait) time," Moya said.
And he said some things fell through last year, such as a temporary pool of cashiers.
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"Last year we didn't have any at all," Moya said. "None of them passed the background check."
Three back-house employees and eight cashiers, including four temporary workers, will be on hand today through Thursday with extended hours 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to disburse the $33 million students will receive in financial aid this semester.
Tom Lambert was hired as a temporary cashier and has been working there for three weeks.
He has seen the long lines at the cashier's office during the first week of school, something students say they are not looking forward to.
But not every student will be running to get in line.
Sophomore Adrianne Herrera said it would just be a hassle.
"I have money for now, so I guess I'll just wait until it dies down," she said.
Lambert said he's pleased with the department and expects things to be pretty efficient.
"I personally don't expect any trouble," he said. "It's been helpful to have the extra staff."
To make the lines move along more smoothly, Moya said someone will check students' credit balances "to weed them up as they come into line."
He said the biggest problem is students who don't know if they have a credit balance.
"Last year we had a lot of students in line who came to the front and we'd have to tell them they don't have any aid available," Moya said.
Federal regulations state a university is able to disburse funds up to 10 days before the first day of classes, but that is not done at UNM.
"If you draw down before that (first day of classes), you end up having to pay them interest, and we don't want to pay them interest," Moya said.
The University is heading toward a system where it can directly deposit refund checks into a student's checking account. The target date for that system is 2006.
The least busy times to receive a refund check will be between 5 and 6 p.m. because people think the office is closed, said Sue Rashleigh, supervisor at the cashier's office.
Checks not picked up will be mailed to students after 14 days.
