A new “Promise to Pay” notification on UCLA’s BruinBill website requires students to sign an electronic contract agreeing to pay all of their student fees on time.
The feature, which went live Thursday, will serve as a reminder that students have a responsibility to pay their tuition, though enrolled students are always technically responsible for paying required fees to the university, said Marsha Lovell, director of UCLA Business and Finance Services.
While students are required to agree to the new contract to view their bills, the university’s penalty policies for not paying tuition on time remain the same.
The feature’s purpose is simply to help educate and remind students about their financial obligations to the university, Lovell said. There appears to be no rising trend in the number of students who fail to pay their tuition on time at UCLA, she added.
Kevin Ellis, a fourth-year civil engineering student, said he thinks the agreement can serve as a helpful reminder about the consequences that occur after failing to pay fees on time.
“When you give your word to something, you want to follow through,” Ellis added. “Even though it’s the computer screen … if you’re asked to agree to something, the consequences seem more real.”
Students will now receive notifications with a “Promise to Pay” box after they log onto their BruinBill accounts, and must sign their e-signatures using their initials to have access to billing information.
The announcement includes a link to billing policies that detail a list of penalties students will incur if they fail to pay tuition on time, such as delinquent fees and holds placed on academic records and student services.
Some students said they think the new feature is unnecessary.
“If you’re here, you know that you should be paying tuition. You don’t need to be reminded,” said Brittaney Diaz, a second-year sociology student.
Diaz added that she thinks the new contract could potentially cause students unnecessary anxiety about having to pay their fees.
“We already get emails seeing particular dates,” Diaz said. “If we get another notice on top of that, it adds extra pressure on students.”
Lovell said the “Promise to Pay” contract will remain a permanent feature on BruinBill.