Student Accounts Best Practices

Presented by:Dee Bowling

East Carolina University

Fayetteville Fort Bragg

History of UNC Business Compliance Standards• Audit findings • Standardize processes across UNC system for key areas• Process areas:• Financial Aid• General Accounting• Contracts and Grants• Capital Assets• Student Accounts• Payroll (standards are drafted and being reviewed)

Student Account Standards

General Management• Polices and Procedures Manual• Training• Annual Employee Performance Reviews• Roles and Responsibilities Matrix• Segregation of Duties• Records Retention• Approved charges

Financial Aid Disbursements• Financial Aid distributes awards to student accounts• Federal Aid is applied to allowable charges• Title IV authorizations – current year and prior year• Plus Loans – parent authorizations

• Utilize security to control and segregate duties related to disbursing and payment application• Use Banner detail codes (or PeopleSoft item codes) to link student

accounts activity and financial aid awards and for updating ledger

Third Party Payments• Sub process for managing obligations to pay for all or part of the

student’s bill• Written authorizations on file• Verify and/or renew authorizations on a semester basis• Have procedures for managing student accounts that are paid by third

parties including• Bill timely• Reconcile at least semesterly

Billing • Required charges and other institutional charges• Bill students – using paper bills or ebills – and bill timely• Include required “Uses of Tuition” document• Make billing dates and payment dates public information• Have process for billing Tuition Surcharge and include required

information• Have process for Tuition Surcharge appeals• Required reports – aging and reconciliations

Payments and Credits• Publicly post accepted payment

methods• Daily Deposit Requirements• Offer online payment options • Polices on accepting debit and

credit cards• Payment Plans

• Tuition Waivers• Tuition Remissions• Requirement to Notify Financial

Aid of outside scholarships• International Payments• Wire transfers• Cash Payments >$10,000• Form 8300

Past Due Accounts

Collections Process• Past Due Policies• Charge interest• Charge late payment penalty• Mail letters at specified times• AG Referrals• SEDCA / SODCA• Collection Agencies

Accounting• Aging Report/reconciliation to

ledger• Process for write offs• Process for replenishing

allowance account

Refunds and Adjustments• General Refund Policies• Refund Schedules• Appeals process• Refunds• Timely – (specific rules and time frames for Federal Aid)• Plus Loans

• Escheat guidelines

ReconciliationsDaily, Monthly, Semesterly• Daily

• Receipts• External Processing systems• Electronic Funds Transfer

• Monthly• A/R to ledger• Emergency Loans Activity• Financial Aid

• Semesterly• Third Party Accounts

Emergency Loans• Procedure for approvals• Establish repayment terms• Procedures in case of non-payment• Reconciliation

Special Areas• Protect confidentiality of student record and data• System access requirements• Controlled access• Access removed timely• Access should be review at least every six months• Auxiliary system access reviews• Business Continuity Plans

• Physical Security• 1098T/1042S reporting• Faculty/Staff Waiver Taxation

Other• Checklists• Daily Deposit Limits – reference 2015 session law 147-77• Helpful Links:

NC Office of State Controller Accounts ReceivableUNC GA Policy ManualNC Department of Justice Collections GuidelinesNorth Carolina General Assembly - General Statutes

QuestionsYou can email questions if you’d like…bowlingde@ecu.edu Dee Bowlingacarpenter@northcarolina.edu Autumn Carpenterhlhummer@northcarolina.edu Heather Hummer