By Mitch Holt, Staff Writer
The Financial Aid Office recently implemented a new method of payment called Wildcat Pay. The program allows students to pay their college bill online and is helping to continue the gradual evolution from snail mail to the Web.
Kevin Roberts, director of reengineering in the executive vice president’s office, said Wildcat Pay has a few main components that will help students.
“It allows a student to view and pay their statement online, grants access to other people so they can see it and make other payments, and gives them the option to enroll in the payment plan,” he said.
Wildcat Pay gives students the option of paying their semesterly charges in the form of a four-payment plan, Roberts said. Students who want to participate must enroll in the plan. If they choose not to, the entire balance of their account is due the first month.
To sign up for the payment plan, students must click on the Wildcat Pay link on my.ACU. In order to do anything on the Wildcat Pay page, each student must sign up using his or her Banner ID and pin number.
Parents who wish to visit the page must click on the Wildcat Pay link from the main ACU Web site and sign in using their child’s Banner number and pin number.
“To make payments online,” Roberts said, “a student can either use a credit card or create an automatic debit to their checking account.”
Any student can use Wildcat Pay, Roberts said, and students are encouraged to use components of the program because it is flexible.
“Some may not want to participate in the payment plan but would like to participate in making payments online,” Roberts said.
“Others may want to enroll in the payment plan and then give access to their parents so they can make the payments.”
Roberts said the new payment methods were created solely in the name of better service. For those who are not comfortable conducting business online, the old method is still available.
“As consumers, we often have expectations that we should be able to do almost everything online,” Roberts said.
“We hope that by giving parents and students more flexibility in viewing their records and making payments [through Wildcat Pay], they will have fewer things to worry about.”
