Navigating the World of Student Business Services: A Comprehensive Guide

Many college campuses offer an array of support services and resources for students. Examples include student business services, student financial services, and student health services. The student services department, in particular, focuses on student success and growth, ensuring you’re best equipped to thrive in your learning environment.

Understanding Student Services

Student services encompass a wide range of resources designed to support students' academic, personal, and professional development. According to the Department of Education, the goal of student services programs is to raise the college completion rate, especially among first-generation students, low-income students, and students with disabilities. These services often aim to help students overcome unique barriers, such as learning and personal challenges. Student services administrators strive to help students succeed by supporting their personal growth, academic achievement, and career planning.

Student services offices should also promote inclusion and diversity by assisting students from underrepresented groups.

Academic Support

Student affairs in higher education seeks to cultivate academic development through activities that build foundational skills. A school’s student services office can offer academic support, such as tutoring. These may include workshops on study habits and time management, which can help you stay organized in college. The student affairs office often partners with faculty advisors to help students develop study skills, find tutors, and arrange accommodations for disabilities. The office may also help you forge personal connections through outlets such as study groups.

Additionally, a college’s writing center employs experienced mentors who can help students improve their academic writing skills. Tutoring programs and other educational services support students’ growth throughout college. The Student Support Services (SSS) program helps motivate students to complete their postsecondary education by offering various support opportunities, including resources for improving reading, writing, and math skills. It also offers programs to help learners develop study and time management skills.

Career Coaching

Through student services, coaches can administer aptitude and personality tests to help students make informed career choices. A career coach can help you define actionable career goals that align with your personality and abilities. Career coaches often use confidence-building exercises that prepare students to apply for internships or even land their first job after graduation.

Promoting Campus Involvement

The student affairs office typically works with administrators, students, and community members to inform learners of the many ways they can get involved on campus. Activities hosted by student affairs can build connections and foster friendships between students and mentors. These include clubs, study groups, volunteer organizations, and cultural events.

A good way to stay engaged is to make friends in college who have similar goals and aspirations as you. Students can join various academic, cultural, political, and religious clubs and organizations.

Accommodation Services

Accommodation services often focus on removing barriers that prevent students with disabilities from fully participating. Federal law protects students with disabilities from discrimination by requiring equal levels of access to academic services, classrooms, and resources. For example, students with hearing impairments may have access to assistive listening devices or sign language interpreters. In many cases, you can apply for course substitutions and waivers. Though there are typically eligibility requirements, accommodation services are generally free of charge. To access college disability services, contact your school’s student affairs office.

Counseling Services

School counseling services can teach students how to cope with anxiety and feelings of isolation, as well as with any other challenges they may be facing. Counselors work with students to improve their mental and physical health. They can also refer students to outside treatment if they suspect a condition that requires more extensive care. To help students succeed, student counseling services may offer peer counselors, therapists, and mental health support services. For students in distress, these counseling services can form the foundation of a critical support network.

A study by The Jed Foundation looked at undergraduate and graduate students as they prepared to start school during the COVID-19 pandemic in fall 2020. The survey revealed that 82% of students were dealing with anxiety, and 68% felt socially isolated and alone. School-related stress can even exacerbate existing and undiagnosed conditions. College students can usually access counseling and mental health services at no charge.

Additional Campus Resources

The student services office isn’t the only resource you should use in college. Here are some other campus and student services most colleges offer:

Financial Services: Your financial aid office can connect you with scholarships, advise you on student tax credits, and even offer financial literacy classes.
Alumni Network: You can access your alumni network as an active student to start cultivating a mentor-mentee relationship and begin your career journey.
Student Health Center: Visit your campus health center when you’re feeling sick, when you need a routine check-up, to collect your prescriptions, and more.
Recreation Center: The campus rec center often offers gym classes, intramural sports, personal training, and nutrition courses.

Student Business Services (SBS)

The function of the Student Business Services (SBS) and Cashiers Department is to assist students in understanding their student account, loans, and to receive payments.

Accessing and Understanding Your Account

Students must log in to eBill to view and pay their student account balance online. Additional information may be found at eBill. Access your Dynamic Bill to view your current account activity online. The Dynamic Bill includes current account activity charges updated to your student account.

Your Historical Statement of Account is a snapshot of your Dynamic Bill from a specific point in time. The historical statement charges include all fees and applicable tuition, campus housing, other campus charges, credits for payments, waivers, and refunds or direct deposit transfers. Students receiving financial aid must be enrolled before financial aid funds can be electronically disbursed to offset charges on the statement.

Read also: Guide to UC Davis Student Housing

Students are expected to pay all fees and charges that they incur. The "Due Date" indicates when all charges appearing on the statement of account must be paid. The "Due Date" will be the 15th of each month. If the 15th falls on a weekend or holiday, the Due Date is the following business day. In-person payments must arrive by 3PM PST or 4PM PST if made online via R'Web or check/money order in Cashier's drop box. An Administrative Tuition Processing Fee will be charged for not paying tuition and fees by the deadline. Additional penalties may apply. Housing lease/installment payments are due by the 1st of the month. A 15-day grace period is provided as specified in the housing Lease Agreement.

Payment Options and Policies

Adrian College payment options are Payment in Full, and a monthly payment plan of a 5-month per semester. Payment in Full are due August 1st for the Fall semester and January 1st for the Spring semester. Students are required to complete the online Payment Option form to formally request their payment option of choice through the Bulldog Dashboard. Payments can be made via debit/credit card or e-check through Bulldog Dashboard or check and/or cash can be made at the Student Business Services (Cashier’s Office), located on the main floor in the Caine Student Center. A $75 monthly late payment fee will be assessed when the minimum payment is not received by the due date.

The University may provide, extend or advance funds, credits and/or other financial accommodations to students, to be applied towards their tuition and/or charges, with the understanding that students will re-pay those amounts. All such amounts, other than scholarships, fellowships, stipends and/or tuition waivers, are loans and/or educational benefits which students must repay to the University together with late payment charges as established by the University. In consideration for allowing students to attend classes, students agree to repay the University for those loans and/or educational benefits.

Students who have not paid their student account balance in full by the payment due dates established by the University will be canceled and removed from classes with a 100% tuition refund. If a payment made to a student account is returned by the financial institution for any reason, the student must repay the original amount of the payment plus a returned payment charge as determined by the University. Multiple returned payments, and/or failure to comply with the terms of any payment plan or agreement entered into between a student and the University may result in cancellation of current classes and any future registrations.

Non-attendance does not relieve students of financial responsibility for the courses in which they have enrolled or their housing contract. Students are responsible for all amounts due to the University as a result of financial aid adjustments, including without limitation any such adjustments resulting from cancellations or removals as referenced in Paragraph 6 above. Students are responsible for charges not paid by their corporate sponsors, employers and/or other third parties who may have agreed to pay their tuition and/or other charges.

Each student further understands and agrees that his or her registration at the University and acceptance of these terms constitutes a promissory note agreement (i.e. § 523(a)(8)) in which the University is providing each student educational services and/or deferring some or all of the payment obligations for those services.

IRS Form 1098-T

All students must provide their social security number (SSN) or taxpayer identification number (TIN) to the University upon request, as required by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations, for IRS Form 1098-T reporting purposes. Students who fail to provide their SSN or TIN will be responsible to pay, and/or to reimburse the University, for any and all fines assessed to the University by the IRS as a result of the missing SSN/TIN.

California State University, Fullerton does not assist in tax preparation, act as a tax consultant for individuals or entities, provide tax advice, and cannot answer your tax questions. Please consult a tax professional, the IRS, or a financial planner who is proficient with taxation with your tax questions.

Third-Party Payments

In the case of a third-party student, they cannot remove themselves from the responsibility of payment of their tuition and fees. Using a third party to pay does not extend the tuition and fee payment time as far as statute is concerned. Therefore, the necessary information must be provided to SBS prior to the first due date of each term.

Each third party on file in SBS will be billed by the Third Party Analyst. The requirements of a third party will be included in a cover letter that will accompany the detailed bills or vouchers for the TTUHSC student. If a third party requires a copy of the student schedule, Texas Tech University is allowed to release this information according to the TTUHSC third party agreement signed by the student. If a third party requires grades, the student will be responsible for releasing the grades to their third party. If a student has turned in a third party contract, we ask that they do not bill their third party themselves. For sound auditing purposes the bills must be sent by SBS. Also, sending more than one invoice to the third party increases the potential for errors and may delay payment to the university. Once billed, most third parties take 4 to 8 weeks to process payments.

If SBS is notified by a sponsor of exact charges that will be paid, the credit will be placed on student account before payment is actually received. If the actual payment received from the sponsor does not match the posted credits, the student account will be adjusted accordingly, and the student will be responsible for any balance due. Students will be notified by eBill of any outstanding balances. may be subject to late fees and registration/transcript holds.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and Financial Aid

The first time a student does not meet SAP standards they will be placed on Academic and Financial Aid Warning for the next semester. Any student who is placed on academic suspension under the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy may submit an appeal to the Academic Status and Review Committee. Students seeking to appeal must write a formal letter explaining why they are not currently meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress and outlining their plan to improve their academic standing. After conducting the meeting, the student will receive written notification of the outcome of their Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal.

Students will be assigned this status if they fail to meet satisfactory academic progress at the end of SAP Warning period but successfully appeal. Students will be permitted to receive financial aid for one additional term with continued eligibility to be reviewed and determined at the term’s end. Classes graded with failure (“F”), “academic dishonesty”, “incomplete”, “no credit”, or “withdraw” will be evaluated as courses attempted, although not successfully completed.

Scholarships and Grants

Adrian College Scholarships/Grants are earmarked for full-time, degree-seeking study for up to eight semesters of undergraduate course enrollment. Students may not receive institutional scholarships/grants that are in excess of tuition and fees. Outside scholarships may affect Institutional or State grants and scholarships. Veteran Affairs Benefits, Post 9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33), and ROTC Full-tuition scholarships are included and will reduce the scholarship/grant eligibility of the student dollar for dollar. Please note that the qualifying for Adrian College Scholarships may reduce previously awarded Adrian College Grants.

Undergraduate students who are full-time, degree seeking and enter into college with the required SAT and GPA will be reviewed for Adrian College scholarship assistance up to 8 consecutive semesters of on-campus study. Students who receive a merit-based Adrian College Scholarship will need to maintain their full-time status (12 undergraduate credits or above) and maintain good standing to remain eligible.

Students who file the FAFSA will be considered for both needs based and non-need-based grants. These awards may be renewable for up to four consecutive years. Renewal is contingent upon the student’s annual submission of the FAFSA, maintaining satisfactory progress and full-time undergraduate enrollment. Renewal may also be contingent upon the student’s residency status (on or off campus) and funding levels. The Adrian College Grant will be reduced if necessary to maintain Federal, State, and College budgets.

Federal Aid Programs

Federal Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students who have exceptional financial need and do not have a prior Bachelor’s degree. Students apply using the FAFSA and can receive no more than 12 semesters or the equivalent (roughly six years of full-time enrollment). The FSEOG may be awarded to full-time undergraduates whose FAFSA form indicates exceptional financial need. Awards are based on funds available at the time of application.

The federal government supports employment for financially needy students. In addition to demonstrating need, eligibility requires full-time undergraduate enrollment. Awards are based on funds available at the time of application. This program encourages community service work and work related to each student’s course of study, where applicable. Students are responsible for securing employment and perform job duties according to the position description. The number of hours a student may work each week is determined by the amount of the work study award. Assigned work hours may not conflict with class attendance or scheduled examinations. Failure to perform assigned duties satisfactorily may result in job termination.

Student Loans

Undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need (based on their FAFSA results) may be eligible for a Federal Direct Subsidized Loan. Interest is paid by the federal government during eligible in-school, grace and deferment periods. The subsidized loan does NOT accrue interest while the student is enrolled at least half-time. There is a 6-month grace period after graduation or dropping below half-time before repayment is required. The repayment period can be as long as 10 years. The Financial Aid Office will notify students, who are eligible to borrow a Subsidized Stafford Loan, of their maximum eligibility.

The unsubsidized loan is NOT based on financial need and is awarded to both undergraduate and graduate students. The student is responsible for paying the interest, which begins accruing as soon as the loan is disbursed. There is a 6-month grace period after graduation or dropping below half-time before repayment is required. The repayment period can be as long as 10 years. The unsubsidized loan DOES accrue interest while the student is in school. Students can make interest payments or let the interest capitalize. The Financial Aid Office will notify students, who are eligible to borrow an Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, of their maximum eligibility.

The Federal PLUS program allows parents to borrow up to the cost of attendance minus estimated financial aid for the academic year for each dependent student enrolled at least half time. These loans are the financial responsibility of the parent borrower. The borrower has the option of beginning repayment on the PLUS loan either 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed or wait until six months after the dependent student on whose behalf the parent borrowed ceases to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis. The College determines maximum eligibility based on the student’s federal cost of attendance minus all other forms of aid.

Outside Scholarships and Employer Tuition Assistance

An outside scholarship is any scholarship not awarded by the government or the school, such as a scholarship provided by a private sector company, high school or community foundation. Outside scholarships are considered resources, meaning that they may reduce a student’s financial aid package dollar for dollar. Schools often do not have a choice in the matter. Federal rules concerning "over award situations" require the school to reduce the financial aid package when the sum of financial aid from all sources exceeds the school's cost of education. Students are required to report any outside scholarships to the school's financial aid office.

Employer tuition assistance includes a variety of employer-sponsored programs to help employees and/or their dependents pay for college. In many cases the funds received from these programs may be excluded from income and hence tax-free. Employer reimbursements or payments are considered resources, meaning that they may reduce a student’s financial aid package dollar for dollar. Schools often do not have a choice in the matter.

Key Differences Between Student Affairs and Student Services

Typically, though, student affairs offices emphasize student learning and development by providing tutors, mentors, and career services. Student services offices, by contrast, may focus more on providing support to remove personal, physical, and financial barriers to help learners reach their academic goals. These names are often interchangeable.

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