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Brian and colleagues Here at Exeter we have been revising our procedures ready for the next session for the very same reasons you, Brian, outline. We have been operating new sanctions against non-paying and slow-paying students since October 2000. We shall be developing these processes during next year, but here is what we expect to do. (Our Regulations give more details on some of this at http://www.ex.ac.uk/calendar/fee.htm ). 1 All tuition and accommodation fees can be paid in 3 equal termly instalments. (An administrative charge applies in some cases for this facility). 2 The due payment date is the 1st day of each term. 3 For the 1st term, payment is considered late if not made by the 10th working day. For terms 2 and 3 it is the 3rd day. Late fees of 2.5% of the overdue amount are charged. (If the debt remains unpaid by the last day of term, a second charge of 5% is added). 4 1 week after late fee date (in each term), overdue account letters are sent out warning students that they have 10 days to pay, or IT and Library services will be withdrawn (stage I sanctions). (Two senior officers of the University approve the implementation of all sanctions). 5 If the debt remains unpaid at this date, another letter is sent to the student. This advises that these services have been withdrawn and warns that a further 10 days are allowed after which the student will be de-registered (stage II sanctions). 6 Again if unpaid, a final letter is sent advising that the student has been de-registered. At this point, one final opportunity is given to pay (within 5 days): - if payment is made, the student's record is amended back to 'registered', but - if payment is not made by this date, Registry completes all de-registration formalities (eg advises the LEA, etc) and formally advises the University school / academic department. 7 If the student subsequently pays and wishes to be reinstated, we already have a reinstatement procedure. The student is charged £100 for this. 8 No student in debt for £10 or more receives a degree or award. As I have mentioned, we have been using these sanctions since October 2000. Of some 7000 students who personally pay an element of fees: - 261 have suffered stage I sanctions - 14 have been de-registered Our experience over this first year has been that even just the threat of applying stage I sanctions is highly effective. Withdrawing library and IT facilities would have a serious effect on the ability of most students to study, which compels them either to pay up, or to contact us. Actioning stage I and threatening stage II (de-registration) produces further response, leaving only a handful of non-payers for us to chase up. However, each term something like 500 students become due to receive the first warning letter. Dealing with this volume, and the follow-up, has been quite an administrative problem. We are making extra effort now to notify students that payment is due at the start of each term, and that the University cannot afford to allow them to end up persistently in debt. The policy has been fully supported by the Guild of Students. Peter Glazier Finance Manager Exeter University ==================================== On Wed, 13 Jun 2001 15:07:21 +0100 Houlgrave B <[log in to unmask]> wrote: # We are trying to tighten up our procedures regarding student debtors # and in particular those who (apparently) deliberately withhold # payment right until the last minute. We currently revoke their # registrations if after a series of letters we get no response. The # question is how to treat these (ex)students if / when they eventually # pay up. Some believe that such a revocation of registration is only a # suspension to be reinstated the moment fees are paid. Others believe # that this does not help the income collection as students know they # can hold out until the last minute and then pay - this means an # elaborate system has to be put in place to force such students to go # through many hoops before their registration is reinstated. Obviously # we don't want to lose students! I would be grateful to know how other # colleagues deal with the question of such deliberate long standing debtors. # # Thanks # # Brian Houlgrave # Senior Assistant Registrar # Undergraduate Student Administration # University of Salford # Salford M5 4WT # Tel: 0161 295 5787 # Fax: 0161 295 5258 ------------------------------ Peter Glazier [log in to unmask] ------------------------------