Students face $250 penalty on outstanding UA balance

Ignorance of the new fine is not a viable excuse, said Nancy Hanson, accounts receivable and cashiering services manager.

"Students need to make sure their correct local, billing and permanent addresses and phone numbers are on the Student Information System," Hanson said.

Hanson said the Bursar's Office currently has a large number of inaccurate addresses, resulting in students not receiving their billing statements, financial aid, balance credit checks, important correspondence and other notifications

The final warning notice of the Sept. 15 deadline will be sent out tomorrow, and students who still do not pay, will be mailed a bill for the $250 fine Sept. 19, Hanson said.

Financial aid deferments were sent out Tuesday, said Varsha Das, senior systems analyst.

Das said financial aid checks and notices are sent to local addresses, and students with incorrect local addresses will not receive them, or will have to wait for the notices to be forwarded, she said.

Employees in the Bursar's Office have been researching incorrect addresses since Aug. 25, Hanson said. If any local address is found for a student in the student information system, the student's address is then updated.

Hanson said there are many students who need to update their addresses.

"We are trying to prevent billing students rather than collecting money from them," Hanson said.

Students can change their addresses through UA Student Link, on the UA web site, at www.arizona.edu, Hanson said.

Students need to first click on the student information icon, select student link and click on version 2 and follow the instructions, she said.

Students then need to relog on to the address screen and check the corrected information on the system, Das said.

"It is very important for students to know they must complete all the steps to have the address change take effect, including the confirmation and re-authentication, for the address to actually update," Das said.

The web site can be accessed at any campus computer lab, or through any personal computer with web access, Hanson said.

Students can also change their addresses at the Registrar's Office by completing a change of address form, Hanson said.

The address change then takes place immediately, she said.

"Students can also look up their account balances online, through student link, and over the phone, through RSVP, if they haven't received a bill, to make sure they don't have any outstanding charges," Das said.

"Students don't have to wait in line to do this," Das said, but they do need to do it.

Students attempting to add any classes after Sept. 15 will also be assessed a $250 non-subsidized registration penalty, Hanson said.