Spring Break
Billing system converts to full digital
Waste, cost cited as reasons for the switch
Allison Lex
Issue date: 4/3/09 Section: News
By fall 2009, paper fee bills will be a thing of the past for UConn undergraduates. The Office of the Bursar has announced that it is converting the campus to a paperless, electronic billing system.
The office expects that fall semester fee bills will be available online as of June 23, according to Glen O'Keefe, the university's bursar.
Students will be able to access their e-bills via the PeopleSoft system's "Student Center" page.
According to O'Keefe, the university decided to adopt the paperless billing system for environmental and financial reasons.
O'Keefe called electronic billing a "greener process" because it helps the university conserve a significant amount of paper each semester. It also allows the bursar's office to save money on bank fees and paper supplies, which will keep tuition and fee costs low.
UConn is one of many universities choosing to switch to online billing, a trend that began several years ago, according to O'Keefe.
"We deliberately went slow with e-billing," he said.
The Office of the Bursar spent several years judging if students and parents seemed ready for the change. In light of recent global environmental and financial concerns, as well as requests from the UConn community, the office decided this fall was an ideal time to implement the new system.
"Now, [people] are actually asking for it," O'Keefe said.
Students will be able to appoint authorized users - like their parents or guardians - to access and pay their fee bill online sometime later this month, O'Keefe said.
Both students and authorized users will receive e-mail notification as soon as their bill has been posted to the site.
E-bills can be paid either online through PeopleSoft or by mail. The Office of the Bursar has removed the $5 fee for e-checks that had previously been in place. However, students will still find a 2.5 percent convenience charge for credit card payments.
Students can also mail in checks if they prefer, O'Keefe said.
The office expects that fall semester fee bills will be available online as of June 23, according to Glen O'Keefe, the university's bursar.
Students will be able to access their e-bills via the PeopleSoft system's "Student Center" page.
According to O'Keefe, the university decided to adopt the paperless billing system for environmental and financial reasons.
O'Keefe called electronic billing a "greener process" because it helps the university conserve a significant amount of paper each semester. It also allows the bursar's office to save money on bank fees and paper supplies, which will keep tuition and fee costs low.
UConn is one of many universities choosing to switch to online billing, a trend that began several years ago, according to O'Keefe.
"We deliberately went slow with e-billing," he said.
The Office of the Bursar spent several years judging if students and parents seemed ready for the change. In light of recent global environmental and financial concerns, as well as requests from the UConn community, the office decided this fall was an ideal time to implement the new system.
"Now, [people] are actually asking for it," O'Keefe said.
Students will be able to appoint authorized users - like their parents or guardians - to access and pay their fee bill online sometime later this month, O'Keefe said.
Both students and authorized users will receive e-mail notification as soon as their bill has been posted to the site.
E-bills can be paid either online through PeopleSoft or by mail. The Office of the Bursar has removed the $5 fee for e-checks that had previously been in place. However, students will still find a 2.5 percent convenience charge for credit card payments.
Students can also mail in checks if they prefer, O'Keefe said.
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