AUGUST 2000
TUITION AND FEES CAN BE AS CONVENIENT AS A CREDIT CARD
By Mark Riordan
FSU Communications Group
Students at Florida State University can now pay their university-related fees - tuition, overdue books, parking tickets, transcripts and health services - online. The new service from Student Financial Services is the latest in a series of Web-based services designed to streamline students' business dealings with the university.
With security checks along the way, access to a student's personal account is guarded by a firewall that requires entering a personal identification number (PIN) before any credit/debit card numbers or information is divulged.
Students paying online may use FSU Cards, American Express, Discover Card or MasterCard. Students paying in person may use FSU cards, but not credit cards.
For the online credit-card service, students will be assessed
a charge to cover the costs and banking fees.
"Commercial businesses simply build these costs into the
price of their product or service," said Marcia Murphy,
coordinator of the project . "But as a state agency we are
not legally allowed to increase tuition costs to cover these
expenses."
Murphy said the break-even cost for paying online comes to $2.50
per $100.
For students paying $880 in tuition, the online fee will be
$22.50, which is $77.50 less than the late fee of $100.
"We see this as a good option for procrastinators who realize
they've come up to the last day to pay fees and don't want to
come into the office," Murphy said.
Those unwilling to pay the fee may still pay in person, by mail
or at a drop box.
"We are working toward reducing the fee by adding more services, including virtual checks," Murphy said.
Designed to meet the demand to pay fees with credit cards,
the new service should greatly reduce long lines and frazzled
nerves - long a part of the college experience - at the beginning
of each semester.
"This means we have expanded our hours to allow students
to pay when it is convenient for them within the deadline,"
Murphy said.
The new service comes just in time, too, since the University Ballroom, home to the human snake lines each semester, is being renovated. But Murphy says not to worry.
"In addition to paying online, students can use drop
boxes at the Krentzman Union Lounge, Cawthon Hall Housing Office
and University Center A, where there will also be ticket windows.
We will have just as many live tellers as we did at the Union
Ballroom."
Student Financial Services launched the online service in May
with minimal advertising, expecting a trickle that would allow
final bugs to be worked out. Instead, there was a steady stream
of 600 customers in the first three weeks of operation.
While at the site (www.fees.fsu.edu), students can view their billing statement, pay their fees or link to other secured student services to register for classes, check their grades, change their address, check graduation status and class schedules.
Murphy said more services will be coming online soon. Virtual checks, exit interviews for students who have taken out student loans and tracking the financial aid process are all in the works.
"If there's a form, requirement or service that can be provided online to improve convenience for our customers, we are working on it," Murphy said.
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