Spring Break
Paperless Billing Gone Wrong
By: Editorial Board
Issue date: 6/29/07 Section: Ed-Op
Originally published: 6/28/07 at 11:45 PM EST
Last update: 6/28/07 at 11:45 PM EST
Originally published: 6/28/07 at 11:45 PM EST
Last update: 6/28/07 at 11:45 PM EST
If you're like us, before you came to Drexel, the words "paperless billing" meant convenience, accuracy and simplicity. Banks, credit card companies, utilities companies and countless other industries have implemented this system to the delight of their customers. But at Drexel, we cringe when we hear those words.
Administrators took a good idea, moving from paper statements sent in the mail to an electronic, web-accessible system, and bludgeoned it.
One of the best things about the Internet is the instantaneous availability of information. The fact that Drexel's system does not update immediately, nor daily or weekly is ridiculous. If a student makes a tuition payment today, they should be able to ensure that it was received in a few days. The fact that the current system doesn't update until "new statements" are sent by administrators eliminates the usefulness of the system. Instead of offering monthly updates for a yearly billing cycle, the electronic billing system should allow students to customize their alerts. Students should have the option to receive alerts as soon as changes occur to the account such as if a fee needs to be paid, a check is applied to the account, or financial aid disbursements are received.
While we're on the topic of payments, the 2.75 percent "convenience fee" that Drexel charges to students who opt to use their credit card is archaic. We understand that Drexel incurs charges for processing a credit card payment, but so does 7-Eleven. Northeastern University's Web site makes no mention of such a fee. Also, Northeastern, UPenn, and Temple University all offer alternative forms of electronic payment that do not include any processing fees. Currently, the only ways to pay Drexel online is to use a credit card or a bank account transfer.
While most students won't be putting thousands and thousands of dollars of tuition on their credit cards, they may want to pay a smaller fee, like a house deposit, using a credit card. They shouldn't be penalized for using a more convenient form of payment.
Administrators took a good idea, moving from paper statements sent in the mail to an electronic, web-accessible system, and bludgeoned it.
One of the best things about the Internet is the instantaneous availability of information. The fact that Drexel's system does not update immediately, nor daily or weekly is ridiculous. If a student makes a tuition payment today, they should be able to ensure that it was received in a few days. The fact that the current system doesn't update until "new statements" are sent by administrators eliminates the usefulness of the system. Instead of offering monthly updates for a yearly billing cycle, the electronic billing system should allow students to customize their alerts. Students should have the option to receive alerts as soon as changes occur to the account such as if a fee needs to be paid, a check is applied to the account, or financial aid disbursements are received.
While we're on the topic of payments, the 2.75 percent "convenience fee" that Drexel charges to students who opt to use their credit card is archaic. We understand that Drexel incurs charges for processing a credit card payment, but so does 7-Eleven. Northeastern University's Web site makes no mention of such a fee. Also, Northeastern, UPenn, and Temple University all offer alternative forms of electronic payment that do not include any processing fees. Currently, the only ways to pay Drexel online is to use a credit card or a bank account transfer.
While most students won't be putting thousands and thousands of dollars of tuition on their credit cards, they may want to pay a smaller fee, like a house deposit, using a credit card. They shouldn't be penalized for using a more convenient form of payment.
