Information on initiative
What informed this change & Committee
Term payment plan example & Presentation
See the student page for
OSU goals for supporting financial readiness & success
►Support students anywhere within OSU to successfully complete a degree or credential at Oregon State while connecting them to resources to help manage costs.
►Provide clear, transparent information to students about the costs of college, payment deadlines and strategies to approach budgeting.
►Offer expanded support and educational resources surrounding financial literacy and well-being.
Manageable balance threshold
By having the balance threshold of ≤$500 students avoid an unmanageable bill and have a greater chance of being able to remain enrolled and leave the university with a degree or credential.
Expanded payment plan options
Increased the number and type of payment options available to students to have the opportunity for monthly installment payments. There will also be earlier visibility of Tuition and Fees to support proactive budgeting.
What informed this change
Lowering the threshold will prompt students and OSU support offices to identify financial needs on campus earlier
OSU has a duty to promote having a financial plan - to understand the cost of college, apply for and accept available financial aid, and assess the ability to pay. Resulting in students being able to make informed decisions while pursuing higher education.
Approximately 10% of students are placed on a registration hold each term. For some that's a reminder to make a payment, for others it's a prompt to seek out additional support. We want to connect with those students earlier.
No matter the balance limit, a student without a financial plan that cannot pay their bill each term won't be able to progress, they won't be able to graduate, and if they don't graduate, their earning potential stays lower and any debt they incurred will be even more difficult to pay off.
OSU recognizes the unique financial situations of our students and the complexity of paying for college and that is why funding has been dedicated to support the one-on-one support provided by the Center for Advancing Financial Education (CAFE) as well as financial literacy and assessment in our START and orientation programs.
Our $2200 balance threshold is one of the higher outliers in higher education and we observed students progress from term to term without completely understanding or resolving their costs of enrollment which has consequences that can be detrimental to their academic goals and personal finance position.
Executive committee & workgroup
|
Executive Team |
Department |
|---|---|
|
Jennifer Ajeto |
Office of the Registrar |
|
Noah Buckley |
Admissions |
|
Nick Fleury |
Office of Graduate Education |
|
Karen Hanson |
Office of Graduate Education |
|
Katrina Highland |
Office of the Registrar |
|
Nicole Hindes |
Basic Needs Center |
|
Steve Hoelscher |
Student Affairs |
|
Autumn Landis |
Office of the Registrar |
|
Rebecca Mathern |
Office of the Registrar |
|
Prem Mathew |
College of Business |
|
Amy McLaughlin |
UIT |
|
Melissa Morgan |
Office of Student Orientation |
|
Marleigh Perez |
Ecampus |
|
Lissa Perrone |
Business Services |
|
Keith Raab |
Financial Aid |
|
Jane Reynolds |
Cascades Campus |
|
Darleen Root |
Office of the Registrar |
|
Heidi Sann |
Finance and Administration |
|
Chris Young |
Term payment plan example
Presentation includes
- Financial readiness overview
- Timeline, budget, communications
- Financial well-being
- Payment plans
- Reduced account threshold
- Mitigation strategies