UPPS 03.01.06 - Students' Financial Obligations

POLICY STATEMENT

Texas State University is committed to maximizing the effective use of student financial resources and ensuring that all financial obligations are fulfilled.

1. SCOPE

   1. This policy sets forth Texas State University’s procedures for students’ financial obligations.

   2. University administrators have a fiduciary responsibility to maximize the collection of financial obligations owed to the state and the university. The university will make every reasonable effort to notify students of any outstanding financial obligations. It is the student’s responsibility to meet these obligations as required.

   3. Student Business Services has primary responsibility for establishing and administering policies and procedures for the collection of students’ financial obligations.

2. AUTHORITY

   1. Students’ Financial Obligations – Section 54.007(a-b) of the Texas Education Code allows tuition and fees to either be paid in full or be paid under an installment plan with an initial payment due not later than the date established by the institution which should be no later than the date established by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for certifying student enrollment for the semester or term for purposes of formula funding. Students are expected to meet their financial obligations to Texas State within the designated time allowed.

   2. Penalties for Failure to Pay – Section 54.007 (c-d) of the Texas Education Code allows for consequences to be imposed for failure to pay in the allotted time the amount owed to the university for tuition, fees, charges, or any other financial obligations.

   3. Authorization for system-wide policies regarding student financial obligations can be found in The Texas State University System (TSUS) Rules and Regulations, Chapter VI, Subsections 9.2 and 9.3.

3. DEFINITIONS AND PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING OUTSTANDING FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS

   1. Student financial obligations may include the following:

      1. tuition, fees, room, board, and other registration-related fees;

      2. other charges that may be added to an account balance due to adding classes, financial aid reversals, returned items including e-checks, auxiliary charges, etc.; and

      3. any authorized fees charged to the student or other debt owed to the university.

   2. Notice of Financial Obligations – The university will give due notice to students failing to meet their financial obligations by email to the Texas State student email account, personal email, or standard U. S. Postal Service.

      Student Business Services will utilize standard university publications (such as the university website) to advise students of the consequences for non-payment of fees or for failure to clear a returned check or other debts.

   3. As consequences for the student’s failure to meet financial obligations, the university may:

      1. withhold official transcripts and diplomas;

      2. deny registration and payment confirmation for subsequent semesters;

      3. assess additional fees for delinquent payments and returned items, as detailed on the Student Business Services website;

      4. report unpaid university obligations to credit agencies;

      5. cease university-provided services; and

      6. place warrant holds with the State Comptroller’s Office stopping state payment to the individual owing the debt.

   4. Financial Holds – Student Business Services will place financial holds on the records of students who have outstanding financial obligations. When the student has cleared all financial obligations, Student Business Services will remove the hold and restore services.

   5. Bank Returned Payments (Returned Item) – When a check/ACH payment is returned unpaid by the bank (insufficient funds, closed account, stop payment, etc.), a service fee will be applied to student account. Payment methods may be restricted to cashier’s check, credit card, or other guaranteed funds. Students who present three bank returned items within a one-year period of time (measured from the date the first payment is returned to the date the third payment is returned) will have check/ACH payment privileges at the university revoked for one year (measured from the date the third returned item is paid). After seven returned item payments, in total, the student will no longer be allowed to make payment with check/ACH permanently.

   6. Students may appeal these actions by presenting written documentation to the director of Student Business Services that an accounting error in recording payment caused the administrative actions. The university will accept documented emergencies that precluded payment by the due date as the only other grounds for appeal. Lack of sufficient funds will not be considered an emergency circumstance. The director of Student Business Services will review the written material and make a decision with due consideration to the student’s welfare.

4. PROCEDURES FOR WITHHOLDING TRANSCRIPTS

   1. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 requires that the university provide requesting individuals copies of their unofficial grade transcripts and other education records as requested, even though the requesting party may have an outstanding obligation to the university. The university may withhold an official validated transcript with the registrar’s seal thereon from a person with outstanding financial obligations to the university. This withholding will not apply to persons who are/were recipients of federal financial aid in accordance with federal regulations.

   2. If a student has unresolved financial obligations to the university, and if the student has neither filed for bankruptcy nor had the debt discharged in bankruptcy, the university will follow these procedures in allowing the student (or someone acting on their behalf) access to their transcript:

      1. the registrar will produce the transcript for inspection or duplication at the Registrar’s Office, while the original transcript will remain in the Registrar’s Office;

      2. the registrar will not question the person seeking to inspect or copy the transcript other than requesting the party’s proper identification, identifying the requested transcript, and establishing that the registrar can honor the request;

      3. the registrar should afford the student an opportunity to take notes of the contents of the transcript, or pay for its duplication, or both; and

      4. the registrar may charge only the actual copying cost for a non-certified transcript.

5. RESPONSIBILITIES FOR COLLECTING STUDENTS’ FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS

   1. Student Business Services has primary responsibility for the collection of registration-related student fees and other financial charges and will work to assure that losses from unpaid student financial obligations are minimized. When feasible, Student Business Services will also assist other university departments in the collection of non-registration fees.

   2. University departments that collect non-registration student fees and other financial charges have primary responsibility for the collection of such amounts. They should exercise diligence in their collection efforts, to minimize losses from unpaid obligations. Departments may request assistance from Student Business Services in collection of the debt, such as a monetary hold on the student’s account and billing of the charge. Once the charge is assessed on the student’s receivable account, payments must be made through Student Business Services.

6. PROCEDURE FOR DISSEMINATION OF THIS POLICY

   1. The university has adopted the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board authorization as policy. The assistant vice president and Treasurer shall be responsible for assuring that this policy is published in the university catalogs, registration information booklets, and other appropriate publications.

7. REVIEWERS OF THIS UPPS

   1. Reviewer of this UPPS includes the following:

      Position	Date
      Assistant Vice President and Treasurer	July 1 E5Y

8. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

   This UPPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

   Assistant Vice President and Treasurer; senior reviewer of this UPPS

   Executive Vice President for Operations and Chief Financial Officer

   President