[Major revision–posted 5/16/17 (replaces 7/24/15 edition)]
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Operating Policy and Procedure

OP 62.13: Student Tuition and Fee Payment Options, Exemptions and Waivers, and Cancellation for Non-payment of Tuition and Fees

DATE: May 16, 2017

PURPOSE: This Operating Policy/Procedure (OP) describes the student tuition and fee payment options available to Texas Tech University students. It describes and establishes procedures for cancellation for non-payment of tuition and fees. It establishes the policy for exemptions and waivers eligibility and approval authority and establishes procedures for the processing of exemptions and waivers.

REVIEW: This OP will be reviewed in April of odd-numbered years by the Managing Director of Student Business Services with substantive revisions forwarded to the Vice President for Administration & Finance and Chief Financial Officer.

POLICY/PROCEDURE

1.  General

All tuition, fees, exemptions, and waivers available to students at TTU have been authorized by state statutes and/or the Board of Regents.

2.  Tuition and Fees Payment Options

a.    In order to avoid cancellation, students may elect to pay the statutorily required amount of tuition and fees prior to the first class day or choose to enroll in a payment plan offered by the university. Payment plan terms may be reviewed within the student's eBill account or on the Student Business Services (SBS) website at http://www.depts.ttu.edu/studentbusinessservices.

b.    If a student elects to pay tuition and fees using an offered payment plan, he or she will be assessed an enrollment fee in addition to the required payment of tuition and fees. The fee developed and recommended for approval will reflect all costs incurred in operating and handling payments under the installment plan. The fee is approved by the Board of Regents.

c.    A student who fails to pay all amounts of tuition and fees in full, including any incidental fees, by the established due dates may be prohibited from registering for classes, accessing grades, or obtaining transcripts until the account is current. A student who fails to make payment prior to the end of the semester may be denied credit for the work done that semester. Furthermore, in accordance with Texas Government Code § 2107.003, a student can be held responsible for the reimbursement of any fees resulting from placement with an external collection agency, which may be based on a percentage (at a maximum of 30 percent) of the debt, and all costs and expenses including reasonable attorney fees. Additional late fees, service charges, and/or interest may be applied.

3.  Emergency Enrollment Plan

a.    All resident and non-resident undergraduates, graduates, and professional students registered in a degree-granting program are eligible.

b.    The maximum plan amount per student may not exceed the tuition and required fees owed to each institution for the courses in which the student is enrolling. To qualify for this option and be eligible for online enrollment, a student must owe a minimum of $2,000 of mandatory tuition and fees. If a student owes less than $2,000 of outstanding mandatory tuition and fees and would like to enroll in the plan he/she must visit SBS in person at 301 West Hall.

c.    The plan must be repaid according to the installment due dates and paid in full prior to the end of the term for which the payment plan was elected.

d.    Students will be assessed an enrollment fee in addition to the required payment of tuition and fees. The fee developed and recommended for approval will reflect all costs incurred in operating and handling payments. The fee is approved by the Board of Regents.

4.  Third Party Payment

a.    Texas Guaranteed Tuition Plan – TGTP (formerly Texas Tomorrow Fund)

(1)    Students wishing to utilize TGTP must notify SBS of their intent prior to the first term in which benefits are to be applied. Subsequently, the application of TGTP payments will be rolled between long semesters and no further notification is required. In the event a student wishes to use TGTP during the summer terms, SBS must receive written notification for each summer term in which benefits are to be applied.

(2)    Students must submit personal payment for incidental fees (special instruction fees, etc.) and all other charges not authorized by TGTP prior to all university established due dates.

(3)    Billing for TGTP will take place after the 12th class day in fall and spring semesters and the 4th class day in summer terms. Any changes made after that date are the student's responsibility. No revisions will be made to the TGTP/TTPF billing.

(4)    It is incumbent on the student to notify SBS of the depletion of TGTP funds during the semester in which it occurs. Failure to do so will result in the removal of placeholder payments and any remaining balance will be subject to standard payment policies.

b.    Texas Tuition Promise Fund – TTPF

(1)    Students using TTPF must submit a completed Third Party Sponsor Agreement each semester in which they wish to utilize their benefits.

(2)    Before third party estimated credits can post to the account, the plan purchaser must visit the TTPF website at https://www.texastuitionpromisefund.com/ and authorize the appropriate number of units.

(3)    If the purchaser authorizes a lesser amount of units necessary to cover the full cost of eligible tuition and fees, SBS must be notified so the proper amount of estimated credits can be applied. Failure to do so may result in a reversal of credits and the resulting balance charged to the student, which is subject to standard payment policies.

c.    Other Third Party Payments

(1)    Students utilizing other third party payers must notify SBS each semester by submitting a completed Third Party Sponsor Agreement form for each respective sponsor.

(2)    Prior to applying placeholder payments, SBS must receive and approve a sponsorship letter provided by the third party payer outlining the charges allowed under the contract.

(3)    SBS will bill the third party payer after the 12th class day in fall and spring semesters and the 4th class day in summer.

(4)    Any balance remaining, or if the sponsor payment is not received prior to the end of the term, is the student's responsibility, as stated in the Third Party Sponsor Agreement and must be paid according to the university established due dates.

5.  Cancellation for Non-payment of Tuition and Fees

a.    First Cancellation – Any student who has not paid the statutorily required amount of mandatory tuition and fees or enrolled in a payment plan prior to the first class day may have his/her class registration dropped. The student must re-register in classes to attend the university. Dropped registration and late fees will apply and are subject to collection. The student's original course registration is not guaranteed.

b.    Final Cancellation – Any student who has not paid the statutorily required amount of mandatory tuition and fees or enrolled in a payment plan prior to final cancellation processing may have the credit hours removed from his/her enrolled classes, but the student will remain financially responsible for the entirety of those classes. A registration, transcript, and grade hold may also be applied. Students must follow the official drop and withdrawal policies of the university to avoid cancellation charges, penalties, and statutorily mandated percentages of tuition and fees. The student must make proper payment arrangements before reinstatement will be authorized. Upon making payment in full, the student may request SBS to submit his/her account to the Registrar's Office for reinstatement. Unless requested by the student, reinstatement for the term will not occur, regardless of payments made. Reinstatement requests and criteria must occur prior to the state reporting deadlines to ensure no loss of funding to the university. An additional fee may apply if a reinstatement request is made after that date.

c.    At least once prior to each cancellation, any student who currently qualifies for that cancellation will be notified via his/her official university email account. However, lack of direct notification does not absolve the student's financial responsibility as defined in the Financial Responsibility Agreement. The current Financial Responsibility Agreement can be accessed via the student's Raiderlink Portal.

6.  Exemptions and Waivers

a.    Application procedures and a complete list of exemptions and waivers authorized by statute or other regulatory authority can be found on the SBS website.

b.    SBS periodically reviews exemptions and waivers after the beginning of each term. Any discrepancies or errors affecting the exemption or waiver will be addressed with the individual claiming the exemption or waiver.

c.    Students deemed ineligible as a result of updated information or upon review will have their tuition and fee account adjusted accordingly and may be billed for the charges previously exempted or waived. The charges will be subject to standard payment policies set forth by the university. If the billed charges are not paid as required in the notification and billing, the student's records may be placed on hold, a late fee assessed, and credit may be denied for coursework completed during the term. In addition, until the account is brought current, the hold may prevent future registration(s) at TTU and may result in the withholding of official transcripts and grades.

d.    Authorizing documentation supporting the receipt of exemptions or waivers should be submitted no later than 10 days prior to the semester's due date to ensure timely processing. Documentation received after this time may delay processing of the exemption or waiver and may subject the student to cancellation. It is the student's responsibility to monitor their account in regard to published due dates to ensure account accuracy or to make required payments as needed to avoid cancellation and late fees.

e.    All exemption or waiver forms must be submitted in original form with original or certified electronic signatures. Photocopied signatures will not be accepted and will cause the exemption or waiver form to be rejected at the time of presentation to SBS. Likewise, incomplete forms will be returned to the student and will not be accepted for processing until the form is completed.

f.    Appointment, Eligibility, and Funding for TA/RA/GPTI Waivers

Refer to OP 62.40, Graduate Tuition and Fee Waivers

g.    Military Personnel and Dependent Waivers

To ensure compliance with H.R. 4810, Veteran Access to Care Act of 2014, military personnel and/or their qualified dependents or spouses, are entitled to have their non-resident tuition waived, effectively receiving the in-state tuition rate. To receive this waiver, the student must submit his/her request to Student Business Services each term in which he/she wishes to utilize the waiver.

If the student is active duty or the dependent of a current active duty solider, the student must complete and submit the Certification of Military Personnel and Dependents Who Enroll at Texas Tech form.

If the student is a veteran or the dependent of a veteran, he/she must complete and submit the Veteran/Veteran Dependent Military Intent to Establish Residency form.

h.    Forms related to exemptions and waivers, including those pertaining to military personnel and dependent waivers, may be found on the SBS website (http://www.depts.ttu.edu/studentbusinessservices/) under "Resources/Other/SBS Forms."

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