Business Services

Student Accounts & Balances (Bursar)

Cash Management Operations

PCI Compliance

Oregon State regulations require that all processors of electronic commerce comply with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards.  The Office of the Oregon State Treasurer (OST) issued two Cash Management Policies to address these issues.  The policies are 02.18.13.PO Data Security and 02.18.14.PO 3rd Party Vendor Requirements

SOU will retain a Quality Security Advisor (QSA) and perform an annual Self-Assessment Questionnaire (SAQ). Departments will cooperate fully with Business Services and Information Technology staff regarding participation in the annual compliance review, inventories, follow up to security questions and remediation of gaps and risks uncovered during the review or at any time throughout the year. All personnel involved in payment processing will review the compliance policy and sign an annual statement of understanding. 

Annually, Business Services will review the service providers to determine their status as Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI-DSS) compliant.  If a service provider is no longer compliant, OST will be contacted for assistance in evaluating and determining steps to mitigate risk and establish a business continuity plan that would allow temporary use of the service provider.  Business Services, I.T. and the user department personnel form the review committee that addresses internal and external processes. 

Higher One Service Agreement

View the HigherOne Service Agreement.

Past Due Balances

A Past Due Balance is a balance that has not been paid in full prior to the conclusion of the term in which the charges were assessed. Each month, we send electronic statements to student accounts, however a student’s current balance is always available to them via their student portal. We will also send several physical letters, in addition to phone and email outreach, to notify students of the delinquent status of their account.

Past Due Balance Outreach Process: 

Letter 1- mailed to the primary address in the student’s file 30 days after the term where the balance exists ends. This stage offers students 30 days to respond to the request for payment.

Letter 2- mailed to the primary address in the student’s file the day after the Letter 1 due date if no payment action has been made on the student’s account. This stage offers students two weeks to respond to the request for payment.

5-Day Demand- mailed to the primary address in the student’s file the day after the Letter 2 due date if no payment action has been made on the student’s account. This stage offers students one week to respond to the request for payment.

Placement- if we do not hear from the student or receive payment accounts are prepared for placement with an outside agency for collection, and the student will incur additional collection charges.  We may also offset (take) Oregon State tax refunds.  The Collection agency may report the account to the national credit bureaus as well as take any other action necessary to collect the debt.  (We do not place current students or students who are on an active payment plan and are actively making their monthly payments).

Agencies (name and phone numbers)

DOR; 1-877-222-2346 or 1-503-945-8199

735-DOR Collections

835-DOR Tax Offset

F.H. Cann: 1-877-677-9126

Reliant Capital Solutions: 1-866-837-5096

Todd, Bremer & Lawson: 1-877-427-6544

Williams & Fudge: 1-800-849-9791

As of the Fall of 2024, a $50 Continued Balance Charge is assessed to student accounts where a balance is carried forward into the next term at the conclusion of the current term.

Can payments be made for an extended period of time and how much do payments need to be?

Access to the registration system will be blocked when the student billing account is past due, even if monthly payments are being made.  If the account becomes over 90 days past due, the university may offset (take) the student’s Oregon State Income Tax refund even though payments are being made.

Students should review their budget and determine the largest amount they can pay towards their SOU debt.  The larger the payments, the sooner the debt will be paid off and holds will be removed.

Check Cancellation & Reissue

We understand that sometimes, checks are lost or stolen. To request for a stop payment and reissue of the missing check to be processed, please complete the Stop Payment Request Form (Statement of Securing Payment of a Lost, Stolen, or Destroyed Check).

Please note: Checks will not be canceled or reissued within 14 business days of the check being printed to allow for potentially successful delivery.  

Gifts

Join Southern Oregon University in shaping the next generation of courageous leaders and professional pioneers! You can explore the diverse giving options through the SOU Foundation as we work together to support student success and continuously elevate our university.