According to the University of the Witwatersrand, where I am registered as a Masters student, I owe it just under two grand.
Which is odd, because I have a six-grand bursary, probably for not doing too shabbily in Honours.
The amazing thing is that I took time out and spent several hours in queues in mid-winter registering for the M, early, so that the bursary office could credit my Wits account. Registering was really a bit of a nightmare, which is why the continued invoices from the fees office are even more frustrating.
First, I had to go along to the Journalism Department to collect a letter saying that I had, in fact, completed the degree, as congrats letters were still to be sent out. Then, I was told, I had to go to the faculty office and register. Following that, I had to pop along to the bursary office and present my piece of paper, and the rest would take care of itself.
I should have known that this was all easier-said-than-done.
Paper trail
Faculty wanted a letter from fees saying that I had paid the deposit. Fees, the day before, had said this was unnecessary, as I was already a registered student, this being the middle of the year and all.
I explained to faculty that I had a bursary. No problem, said they, fees would be able to look this up and would give me the requisite piece of blue paper. Not so, said fees, they needed proof of the bursary.
The worst part of it all is that I know that the university has just installed a state-of-the-art database system.
Nicola Mawson
I don`t know why I never got a confirmation letter, but I didn`t. My supervisor did and that was enough for me. Not enough for fees who could see no record of this on their system. Take the lift to the tenth floor and get a letter.
By the time I located the lift in the depressingly drab, but cunningly laid out, Senate house, I had spent several hours traipsing around campus and was hot and bothered. So, I found it difficult to be polite at the bursary office when I was told that the person-in-charge was on leave, and they had no record of my bursary. I smiled wanly and went back to journalism.
After having a letter typed up for me, I traipsed back to fees and was given the requisite blue-piece-of-paper. Back to faculty to register and then onto bursary to give them the white piece of paper.
Several months later, the invoices arrive. After several fruitless phone calls it turns out that I must fill in another blue form so that they can release the funds.
It`s enough to drive anyone insane.
And the worst part of it all is that I know that the university has just installed a state-of-the-art database system. Pity no one knows how to use it.
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