Long Beach City College has shifted affected financial aid disbursements to paper checks following delays involving BankMobile and concerns about the security of its disbursement system.
The college is distributing checks in person and by mail while officials monitor the situation and follow guidance from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.
For students such as Daniel Morales, the delay created uncertainty about when they would receive money intended to help cover school and everyday expenses.
“I was waiting for the money because I needed it for school and other expenses,” Morales said.
Morales said the uncertainty surrounding his payment made it difficult to plan his finances while balancing his academic responsibilities.
“It was stressful because I was trying to focus on school while also thinking about my financial situation,” Morales said.
Alan Lopez, another LBCC student picking up his financial aid check, said he became concerned when the payment did not arrive when expected.
“I noticed that I hadn’t received my money when I expected it, the delay made me reconsider my spending and prioritize my expenses while waiting for the money,” Lopez said.
LBCC Dean of Enrollment Services Elizabeth Zavala said the college first received communication from the Chancellor’s Office last Thursday regarding reports of compromised accounts in the BankMobile system at some community colleges.
“BankMobile had confirmed that there was no indication of compromised LBCC accounts at the time,” Zavala said.
However, the college has not received specific details about the technical cause of the delays or enough verified information to explain the nature and extent of the security concerns.
Zavala said approximately 56 community college districts representing 90 colleges use BankMobile for financial aid refund disbursements, although LBCC did not have a verified count of how many institutions had experienced delays related to the issue.
The Chancellor’s Office recommended suspending BankMobile deposits until a patch or fix could be implemented, according to Zavala. She said no timeline had been provided for resolving the issue.
Until further notice, LBCC is distributing affected financial aid payments through paper checks while continuing to coordinate with other colleges and follow guidance from the Chancellor’s Office.
Students eligible for in-person pickup were instructed to bring a government-issued identification card or LBCC student ID to collect their checks at one of two locations in Building A at the Liberal Arts Campus.
According to the college’s distribution instructions, students with last names beginning with A through L were directed to the Cashier’s Office in Building A on Monday, while students with last names beginning with M through Z were directed to the Financial Aid Office in the same building.
The college scheduled additional pickup hours from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, with all students directed to the Cahier’s Office during those hours.
Checks not collected by 5 p.m. Wednesday were scheduled to be mailed. Students were advised to allow approximately one week for delivery, depending on postal processing time.
Zavala advised students to monitor their LBCC student email, text messages and the Financial Aid website for updates and to contact the Financial Aid Office if their checks did not arrive during the announced distribution period.
Students experiencing urgent difficulties involving food, housing, transportation or other essential needs were also encouraged to contact LBCC’s Basic Needs Office for available support and resources.
As the college continues distributing paper checks, students await further information about the BankMobile issue and when electronic financial aid distributions may resume.
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