Ohio University is in the process of making bills and statements available online instead of sending them through the mail to save money and offer a convenience to students.
There is no university-wide rule as to what is sent electronically and what is sent in hardcopy, said Jack Jeffery, university spokesman. It is up to individual offices and schools as to what they would like to do.
The bursar's office began sending student bills online because the university is making a push toward making more things electronic, said Sherry Downs, a bursar.
A lot of communication is done electronically now. Registration
financial aid and housing are all done online now Downs said. Sending the e-bill saves $100 000.
Online billing began March 1 and is easier for students because it is available 24 hours a day. Online bills avoid the hassles of lost and late mail, she said. E-bills become available about a month before the upcoming quarter; payment deadlines are listed on the registrar's Web site.
Students who live on the Northeast coast were sometimes getting their bills three weeks late
Downs said. In some cases
this was after the deadline
so they were charged with late fees.
Because e-bill notification is sent to students' OAK e-mail accounts, there is a concern that students who don't check their OAK e-mail won't pay their bill on time, Downs said. Several ads and posters were placed around campus before the university switched over to the e-bill, she said.
The registrar's office has several self-serve computers where students can check their e-bills,, Downs said. A student can also get assistance from an office employee if they do not understand how to view their e-bill.
For students who do not check their OAK e-mail and do not call to find out when their bill is due, a financial hold is placed on the student's account, Downs said. These students cannot register for classes, get their grades or receive their diploma if they're graduating, she said.
Other offices also send students information through e-mail. The University Registrar started sending grade reports and class schedules through e-mail during the 2002-2003 school year, said Debra Benton, a university registrar.
The university saves $60,000 in postage and printing by e-mailing grade reports and class schedules, Benton said.
Schedules and grades are distributed more often through e-mail than traditional mail - the registrar's office can now send students their class schedules a couple of times a quarter, she said.
Although the university is moving to make more things available online, there are still some cases where things will be sent in a hardcopy through the mail.
When a student is on academic probation
the probation grades are always sent to the student's permanent address
Benton said. The grades are also e-mailed to the student on academic probation.
Another document that is sent in hardcopy to the student's permanent address is the parent newsletter, Jeffery said. This is sent in hardcopy because the university has the mailing addresses of students' parents but does not have all e-mail addresses.
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