john souza
Junior Member
What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New York
We versus Iona College of New Rochelle, N.Y.
After my daughter attended Iona College for two years we could no longer keep up with the soaring tuition rates, although she had some grants. Due to an unexpected illness that prevented me from working for a while and the costs of medical treatment and surgery I needed, as self employed without insurance coverage, although reluctant to file for bankruptcy I am literally there. We owe Iona College about $1,700.00 in past due tuition. However, after contacting almost everybody at Iona, that we thought could help us, we were finally able to work a payment deal, which they were firmly reluctant to accept at first. We were sent a payment agreement to sign, but upon examination of the "fine print" we were stunned to find out that one of their requirements in that agreement was that they would not release my daughter’s final official transcript until payment agreement was satisfied in full. Which means that my daughter can not have her credits from Iona validated, although she has been accepted to another school, costing literally half of the tuition compared to Iona's – all her grants would cover for all tuition costs for the new school. Until she brings her official transcript in to the new school she is not able to have her classes already taken at Iona considered. Because of that she will have to take all the courses again.
The question is: is it legal for Iona College to take such action? Denying my daughter her official transcript, which I understand is a personal private document, belonging to her alone.
By both parties, my daughter and the school, mutually agreeing on a payment plan I think we are no longer in default with that school, as long as we keep with the scheduled payments, which is for 12 months. Are her civil rights being violated here? She is literally being prevented from attending school for the next 12 months. What rights do we have and what actions could we take? We will be deeply grateful for your must needed input. Thank you.
We versus Iona College of New Rochelle, N.Y.
After my daughter attended Iona College for two years we could no longer keep up with the soaring tuition rates, although she had some grants. Due to an unexpected illness that prevented me from working for a while and the costs of medical treatment and surgery I needed, as self employed without insurance coverage, although reluctant to file for bankruptcy I am literally there. We owe Iona College about $1,700.00 in past due tuition. However, after contacting almost everybody at Iona, that we thought could help us, we were finally able to work a payment deal, which they were firmly reluctant to accept at first. We were sent a payment agreement to sign, but upon examination of the "fine print" we were stunned to find out that one of their requirements in that agreement was that they would not release my daughter’s final official transcript until payment agreement was satisfied in full. Which means that my daughter can not have her credits from Iona validated, although she has been accepted to another school, costing literally half of the tuition compared to Iona's – all her grants would cover for all tuition costs for the new school. Until she brings her official transcript in to the new school she is not able to have her classes already taken at Iona considered. Because of that she will have to take all the courses again.
The question is: is it legal for Iona College to take such action? Denying my daughter her official transcript, which I understand is a personal private document, belonging to her alone.
By both parties, my daughter and the school, mutually agreeing on a payment plan I think we are no longer in default with that school, as long as we keep with the scheduled payments, which is for 12 months. Are her civil rights being violated here? She is literally being prevented from attending school for the next 12 months. What rights do we have and what actions could we take? We will be deeply grateful for your must needed input. Thank you.
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