If you're on financial aid, you're probably feeling a little crunched. As of Aug. 21, the Office of Student Financial Aid was $8 million behind last fall in distributing money. Granted, students still have more than a week to pay before being dropped from classes, and late fees for paying tuition are waived for people on financial aid.

But two painful realities remain.

First, many students use financial aid for paying far more than tuition, and rely on these checks to help cover the cost of rent, food and other necessities.

Without the money from financial aid, some people may be forced to take out loans, work overtime or find some other source of money to cover living expenses, at least until the aid checks come through.

Second, even though late fees won't be assessed, the distribution delay has caused undue, unwarranted stress for thousands of students.

Students are suppose to be able to count on receiving their financial aid. They shouldn't have to worry about finding quick substitutes, even if they'll get the money eventually.

Officials say the problem stems from a new computer system that's processing all the money.

John Nametz, director of student financial aid, said the system is "smarter than we are."

Anyone who's ever worked in an office that has switched computer systems knows glitches inevitably come from the shift.

Unfortunately, this switch is costing real students real money.

With the damage done, pointing fingers does little good.

But students are counting on this money, not just to pay tuition, and it's the aid office's responsibility to remedy the situation quickly.

Judging from the constant busy signal on the main office number, the staff seems to be doing its best.

If the new system proves to make things more efficient in the long term, it unquestionably will be a benefit.

But that benefit will have come at the expense of thousands of innocent students.

Opinions are determined by the Wildcat opinions board and written by one of its members. They are Kristina Dunham, Brett Fera, Caitlin Hall, Daniel Scarpinato and Jeff Sklar.