• When are bills sent out and due?
Fall semester bills are mailed approximately July 15th and are due August 10th. Spring semester bills are mailed approximately November 15th and are due January 10th. Monthly bills are sent out approximately on the 15th of each month. Charges are due 1 month after they are billed. Doctorates in PT (TDPT) are billed in July and are due in August.
• What credit cards do we accept, and can they be used for ID Express?
Presently we accept American Express, MasterCard, and Discover. None presently can be used for ID-X payments as we do not have a terminal set up for them to do so. In addition to credit card payments we also offer electronic checking (ACH) as a means of payment and either a checking or savings account can be used. In all cases, the student must access the Homer Connect website, using the student’s User ID and Password, to process these kinds of payments. You can reach the Homer Connect system website through the Registrar’s web page. There is a service fee for using credit cards. All three credit cards have a fee of 2.75% of the transaction. ACH does not have any fee.
• What if a parent wants to pay with a credit card?
A student may set up a parent as an “Authorized User.” The student would need to go through the Homer Connect System to view their bill and then hit “Pay/View Online.” When the QuikPay/InfiNET screen comes up, the student would choose Authorize Payer on the left menu. A link and password will be sent directly to the parent’s e-mail address, which will give them direct access to the account.
• Who processes credit card payments?
Payments are processed online by the students and parents (see above). The payment will appear on the account directly after it is made.
• Why do we send out small bills?
Small bills are sent out for several reasons: It helps explain a balance forward, it is helpful to families saving bills to use for the Hope Scholarship or Lifetime Learning deduction on their income taxes, and it shows families what anticipations are still outstanding. As more and more families come to depend on the web for this information, this policy will be reevaluated.
• What is the late fee charge and when is it charged?
Currently our late fee is $200/month. It is charged to all accounts over the established balance limit (currently $500.00). Generally, the first late fees are assessed within 3 days of the semester due date.
• Explain what a balance forward is.
After each billing, whether semester or monthly, student accounts are summarized by the actual balance at that point (not including anticipations), and that amount is brought forward under the title of “balance forward.”
• What is a petty cash disbursement, and why is an account charged for it?
A petty cash disbursement is money given to a student from his/her account. This normally does not exceed $10.00, although exceptions are occasionally made for emergencies. As in a bank statement, if there is a credit on an account and it is withdrawn, it is shown as a debit. The credit and debit cancel each other out.
• How are library, medical, traffic and dorm damage charges conveyed to the students/parents?
Each of these types of charges is billed to the student accounts by the issuing offices via a “satellite” batch. They do the data entry at their site. Separate bills from each office, giving more detailed information, are mailed to the permanent address. Additionally, the charges appear (without details) on the student account bills.
• If a student incurred a traffic fine and paid it, why is it still on the bill?
Most likely Parking Services had already charged the tickets to the student account and had to send the payment to us to post in order to show the full transaction.
• What is unreturned equipment or a miscellaneous charge?
These charges are usually for unreturned athletic equipment, unreturned dining hall work shirts, or unreturned film equipment.
• Who gets charged for performance study?
Undergraduate students who are not music majors or minors get charged, as do extramural students who take private lessons. The charge is not for group lessons, but only for private lessons. Prior to 2005 the undergraduate cost for lessons was equal to the tuition rate per credit. In 2005 the policy was changed, and there is now a set fee for lessons (less than the rate per credit). Graduate students are not charged for performance study.
• How are the rates for designated triples, Terrace suites, and lounge rebates determined?
Designated triples are figured this way: Multiply the cost of a double room for the year by .15. Round that number up, and divide by 2. Subtract that number from the cost of a double room for 1 semester. That number is the designated triple rate.
Terrace Suite rates are figured this way: Multiply last year’s rate by the same % increase as the double rooms for this year. The result should be added to last year’s rate for the new figure.
Lounge rebates are figured this way: Multiply the semester cost of a double room by 2 to represent the revenue generated by 2 people in the room. Next, multiply the new figure x .20, and add the resulting amount, rounded off, to the first number (cost of 2 students in the room). Divide the new number by 3, and subtract this amount from the normal semester cost for a double. The resulting amount is the rebate.
