Providence, R.I.--Beginning this November with billing for the Spring 2010 semester, the Office of the Bursar at Providence College will be replacing traditional paper tuition bills with a new system that will allow all undergraduate students to receive, view, print, and pay their tuition bills electronically.

PC students--and those they authorize--will have the option to pay their tuition bills online or to print out a copy of the electronic statement and mail the payment to the College.

According to Kathleen B. Shine, bursar, this new system provides a cost-effective and efficient alternative to traditional billing. She expects most students and parents will find electronic payment convenient, since so many people already pay bills online. This new system also will be cost-effective for the College, since it will eliminate the printing and mailing costs for hard-copy bills and will provide easier payment processing.

"Once we go live this fall, our new e-billing system will allow students and their authorized payers to review their bills and outstanding balances online 24/7," said Shine.

Student cooperation is important
Shine stressed that student cooperation in the adoption of this new system is key, since bills are sent to the attention of each student. Instead of passing the traditional hard-copy bill on to a parent or guardian for payment, the student will need to visit the e-billing link in Cyberfriar this fall to designate one or more authorized users.

The bursar's office will notify students by e-mail in October as to when they can add other user names and their e-mail information. Once the student adds one or more authorized users, the College will include them in all e-mail notifications about the e-bills.

A communications campaign to alert students and parents to this new process is currently under way. The bursar's office has sent letters to all undergraduate students and their parents. New students and their parents will receive information in their orientation packets. An insert will be included in one of the monthly letters sent to parents by College President Brian J. Shanley, O.P. '80 early this fall.

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