staff
staff
UTSA financial services staff members --
1604 Campus (from left): Blanca Garcia, Phyllis Reeves,
Rene Cortez, Jennette Hughes and Stacie Garza
Downtown Campus: Ruth James, Debbie Riley, Alka Bhavsar,
Rebecca Galvan and Julie Poo

Direct deposit: Students receive funds faster

By Diana Valle
Business Policy Writer and Web Coordinator, Office of the Associate Vice President for Financial Affairs

(Feb. 9, 2009)--UTSA students can have non-payroll refunds and reimbursements sent directly to their bank accounts because of a streamlined refund system in the UTSA Office of Financial Services (OFS).

The number of students requesting direct deposit refunds increased 16 percent this semester, which can be attributed to a new online authorization form, as well as several creative promotional efforts by OFS staff members.

"Our participation rate has been stable for several years, so this is a pretty big jump," said Gary Lott, UTSA director of financial services and bursar.

OFS launched an online form in the ASAP online information system, allowing students to add, modify and delete their refunds and reimbursements in real time via direct deposit. This replaced the old process of printing out a form, turning it into financial services and then waiting for it to be manually processed.

"With this process, students can set up direct deposit themselves as long as they do it before the next check run starts processing. They'll be picked up in the very next run," said Lott.

Debbie Riley, UTSA associate bursar, designed and distributed t-shirts to financial services staff members, who wear them on selected days, such as the first day of classes and payment deadline days. She also participates in student orientation activities promoting direct deposit. "I encouraged direct deposit to approximately 200 students," said Riley.

"Debbie also worked with a vendor to print pencils and pens with a message encouraging direct deposit, and we're distributing them during peak times when a number of students are in line," said Lott.

>> To sign up, modify or delete direct deposit, students can visit ASAP -- and no forms are necessary.