 "Photo: University of Delaware")
Student billing will be paperless starting Winter Session 2009. Although the university cites a number of reasons why replacing paper bills with e-bills will be effective, some students have raised concerns about being billed online.
Melissa Stone, director of billing and collection, said the change was implemented to support the university's "Path to Prominence" by creating a greener campus through decreased unnecessary paper use.
Stone said paperless billing also reduces costs in postage, printing and personnel, so the money saved can be used to increase budgets for other initiatives in the university's strategic plan.
"Costs are skyrocketing across universities, so we are trying to find ways that we can put these costs to better uses," she said.
The university's new billing style will have an improved format, greater efficiency, better access to account information and guest access, Stone said.
Freshman Laura Mascari said she was dissatisfied with the switch to paperless e-billing because she believes it makes the payment process more difficult and does not take students' needs into account.
"I thought it was kind of annoying how they decided to do this because since I'm a new student I'm not really familiar with billing, tuition and financial aid," Mascari said. "They just decided that it's all online now. It might be easier for them but I don't think they took into consideration our feelings about it."
She said although she supports the green initiative and cutting costs on campus, she feels e-billing will require more effort from students.
"In the scheme of things I think it is a good idea but I just don't like that it is more of a hassle for me," Mascari said.
She said since her parents are not comfortable using computers, the responsibility to pay bills and access account information will now fall into her hands.
Stone said she recognizes online billing may require more student participation but she does not necessarily believe it is a negative thing.
"This process may benefit students from an educational standpoint to look at their finances and realize what's going on," she said.
Stone said she does not anticipate the process being any more work for students.
"If anything, if a student really looks at it, it may really help them to start realizing early on what their financial responsibility is and what it will be later," she said.
Stone said she does not think e-bills are a foreign concept to parents with payments of mortgages, credit cards and other bills being completed online.
"I don't think it's just this population of students that are comfortable with getting things online," she said. "I think paying bills online is a common thing in higher generations."
Parent Rona Hunter said she thinks most parents will not have problems completing payments online.
"How can anyone not know how to use the computer these days?" Hunter said. "I use the computer everyday. Also, I think it's easily accessible and it seems uncomplicated even for people who aren't computer savvy."
She said she appreciates the switch to paperless billing because she prefers online billing and it provides her greater access to her daughter's tuition information.
"I like it because I pay all of my bills online anyway," Hunter said. "It was always hard to get information on the Web site because I didn't have access to it and now I do."
She said she also appreciates that online billing provides a quicker turnaround time.
"I didn't used to have access to it and by the time I got it in the mail it was always due in a week or two, which caused problems,"Hunter said.
Senior Chris Rearick said the more immediate update of billing information will decrease the chance of problems with late payments, but they may still occur because some parents do not regularly check e-mail.
"I think parents are going to be confused by it at first and it may result in a lot of late fees just because parents won't know," Rearick said. "I think half the parents that have e-mails don't check them. I know my parents don't ever check theirs."
He said he understands the switch to online billing may mean he will have to take a bigger role in the payment process but he does not mind.
"My parents would probably prefer getting a bill in the mail but it's fine," Rearick said. "I'm completely computer literate so it's OK with me."
He said although some problems may arise with the new billing system, they are outweighed by all the positive aspects e-billing has to offer.
"It's definitely better for the environment and it's definitely a good way to cut costs for the university," Rearick said. "I think they are trying to keep tuition down and do other stuff with the 'Path to Prominence,' so any way they can cut costs is awesome and better for us."
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