State funding for higher education in New Jersey has been substantially reduced in recent years. This change in the funding equation has made it necessary for Rutgers University to closely examine all of our business processes, including the way we collect student accounts and the expenses we incur in processing these payments.

As part of our ongoing effort to provide excellence in education, Rutgers University has focused on our costs to process credit card payments. These costs are approximately $2,000,000.00 per year; therefore, we have decided that the Cashiers’ Offices will no longer accept in person credit card payments on student accounts/semester term bills. A third-party processor will process Master Card and Discover card payments online.

• Our web payment option is currently being modified and will be available to accept fall semester web payments for tuition, fees, room, board and other items billed for the Fall academic term on or after August 1, 2006.
• Credit card payments using Master Card and Discover are only accepted via the internet.
• Visa branded credit cards will not be accepted online or at the cashiers office for tuition, fees, room, board and other items billed for the fall, spring, and third term semesters.
• Rutgers University Cashiers’ Offices will no longer accept credit cards for payments for tuition, fees, room, board and other items billed for an academic term
• If you choose to make payments on the student account using MasterCard or Discover cards, a third-party vendor will add a non refundable service charge of 2.2% to the transaction. This payment option will be available starting on or about August 1, 2006.
• We will provide computer workstations for the convenience of our walk-up customers on the 3rd floor of Blumenthal Hall. Of course, any internet-connected computer may also be used. The service charge will still be applied.
• To avoid the service charge, students and parents are able to make payments by check and money orders in person or by mail. Of course, we accept cash but it is not recommended that students walk around with a lot of cash on their person for obvious safety reasons.

While credit card payments offer a convenient way for students and parents to make payments on the student account, the cost to the University for providing this convenience has grown to approximately $2,000,000.00 annually. In our current budget situation, the University must examine all the charges we pay. Therefore, the University has decided to require those who use this convenience to cover its cost.

2.2% of the amount charged will be added to each payment on the student account made by credit card.

This amount was set by our third-party vendor.

Unlike MasterCard and Discover, Visa will not allow a service charge that varies with the amount of the transaction (a percentage-based fee). The University was unable to negotiate an acceptable method of assessing an appropriate service charge for Visa payments on the student account.

Many colleges and universities have made similar changes to their credit card payment policies. Rutgers University has attempted over the past year to negotiate changes in its arrangements with its credit card providers to avoid having to make these policy changes, however, those negotiations have been unsuccessful.

Other payment options we offer include:

• Cash
• Check/Money Orders/Cashiers Check
• Rutgers University Tuition Payment Plan, RUTPP. Visit http://www.newarkbusinessoffice.rutgers.edu, click on Term Bill Information, Student Billing, Payment Options.
• Rutgers University Partial Payment Plan, RUPPP. Follow instructions above. This option will be available to students after classes start.

Credit card rules say that service charges must be charged for all payment types for a given payment location. If we allowed credit card payments at the Cashier's window, then we would also have to add the service charge to check and cash transactions. Therefore, we had to move all credit card payment processing to a third-party credit card processor only available online. Rutgers University, Newark Business Services Office, will provide computer workstations near the Cashier's office on the 3rd floor of Blumenthal Hall for use by our walk-up customers who choose to make an on-line bill payment with a MasterCard or Discover card plus the 2.2% convenience fee.

These changes only apply to payments on the student account for Fall and Spring and Third Term semesters for tuition, fees, room, board and other billed items. Other payments are not affected by this policy.

Rutgers University offers an alternative partial payment budget plan (RUTPP) and partial payment plan(RUPPP) options. You can find more information about these at our web site, http://www.newarkbusinessoffice.rutgers.edu . You may also want to investigate sources of financial aid and alternative loans at: http://finaid.newark.rutgers.edu.

Paying for your education by credit card can become very expensive. Rutgers University wants to help students use credit wisely. For more information on this: Managing Credit as a College Student.

Access to the third party vendor is through our web site, http://newarkbusinessoffice.rutgers.edu . Parents or others who will be paying charges on the student account must be added to the system as "Authorized Users". Only the student can add an Authorized User to his/her account by logging into this site.

Questions may be directed to the Cashier’s Office:

• Phone: 973-353-1034
• Web site: http://www.newarkbusinesoffice.rutgers.edu