In addition to receiving excess financial aid electronically, students can now pay for services such as orientation and housing using VSU’s new online payment system.
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The new system, known as Touchnet, is a real-time, third-party payment system that encompasses eBill and eRefund.

 According to Sue Fuciarelli, vice president for finance and administration, the move to Touchnet was made in an effort to accommodate student preference whilst providing the most efficient payment methods possible.

 With the implementation of eBill and eRefund, the university will no longer send out paper invoices by mail. The last semester for which students should receive paper invoices is summer 2012.

 The eBill system not only allows students real-time access to their student account information, but it also gives them the ability to authorize others to access it, according to a press release. These authorized third parties can view bills posted to the authorizing student’s account as well as pay bills on his or her behalf.

 “Implementation is three processes,” Tracee Martin, associate vice president of financial services, said. “Parents can pay the bill for students, but not see the grades. It allows students to pay the bill online.”
 Fuciarelli explained why the new system will benefit students.

 “The payments include orientation and graduation payments, not just tuition, with no additional cost to students included in their tuition,” she said. “We are trying to make students’ lives easy. We hope students sign up for the digital option.”

 Before Touchnet, students had to enroll in direct deposit for excess checks by filling out a paper form. The press release states that students can enroll themselves in eRefund and maintain their own bank account information. Once enrolled in eRefund, students will be notified via email when funds are deposited into their student accounts.

 One downfall of upgrading to a new system is that bank account information cannot be pulled from the old payment system into the new one, an email advised earlier this month.

 “…[T]o continue receiving your excess financial aid electronically, you must re-enroll as soon as possible via eRefund,” it read.

 Students may enroll through BannerWeb or at secure.
http://touchnet.com/C20243_tsa/web/login.jsp.

Step-by-step enrollment instructions are also available through financial services. Direct any questions to studentaccounts@valdosta.edu.

 The first Touchnet eRefund payment is scheduled for May 15. More details on this will be released at a later time, according to the press release.