SUBJECT: PAYMENT OF STUDENT FEES AND ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS
(1) An applicant for admission to an institution or Tennessee Technology Center governed by the Tennessee Board of Regents will be considered and counted as a student when all assessed fees have been paid in cash, or when the initial minimum payment due under the deferred payment plan has been paid, or when an acceptable commitment from an agency or organization approved by the institution or center has been received by the institution or center. An applicant shall possess an acceptable commitment when he/she has timely submitted an application(s) for financial aid with the reasonable probability of receiving such.
(2) When an applicant tenders payment of fees by means of a personal check, the applicant may be considered and counted as a student. When the check is subsequently dishonored and returned, unless the student then pays the fees in cash, the institution has the option to not consider that student as enrolled for the term. At the discretion of the institution, the student may be considered enrolled and will be assessed the applicable returned check fee, the applicable late registration fee, and will be denied grade reports, transcripts and future registration privileges until such dishonored check is redeemed. Institutions and centers may deny future check writing privileges to students that have paid registration fees with checks that are subsequently dishonored. While institutions have discretion in how these situations will be handled, all students must be treated the same at that institution.
(3) An acceptable commitment from an agency or organization shall be limited to a commitment which identifies the applicant and promises to pay all unpaid assessed fees for such applicant.
(4) Agencies or organizations which may be approved by the institution for purposes of making acceptable commitments for applicants shall be limited to agencies of the federal or state governments authorized to provide financial aid, established financial institutions within the state, established in-state and out-of-state corporations which employ the applicant, foreign embassies and foreign corporations, and other organizations within the state which have previously demonstrated the ability to pay the commitment. No commitments from individuals will be accepted on behalf of applicants.
(5) This policy shall not affect enrollment of students receiving financial assistance from any federal or state financial aid program(s). All state financial aid granted to a student shall be applied to pay maintenance fees or tuition, student dormitory or residence hall rental, board, and other assessed fees before any excess may be distributed to the student.
(6) All assessed fees shall include maintenance fees, tuition, debt service fees, service charges, and any other incidental fees assessed at the time of registration, and shall include any and all assessed fees outstanding from prior enrollment at the institution by an applicant. All fees shall be assessed and payable at the time of registration to the extent determinable. Assessed fees shall include rental and board fees where such fees are payable in full at the time of registration. Otherwise, assessed fees shall include the first periodic payment of rental and board fees in advance.
(7) Assessed fees for student dormitory and residence hall units may be payable on a monthly basis in advance in accordance with the provisions of an optional monthly payment plan which shall be established by each institution in accordance with the provisions of the policy on student residence regulations and agreements.
(8) No applicant will be considered for admission as a student until all due and payable outstanding fees and charges from prior terms, of whatever nature, have been paid by the applicant.
(9) The institutions are authorized, subject to approval by the Board, to establish charges for late registration and/or checks which are returned dishonored, and such charges shall become assessed fees for purposes of admission.
(10) In accordance with these guidelines, the president of an institution has the authority to determine the applicability of certain fees, fines, charges, and refunds, and to approve exceptions in instances of unusual circumstances. The Vice Chancellor for Technology Centers shall have this authority for the Tennessee Technology Centers. All such actions should be properly documented for auditing purposes.
Source: TBR Meetings, June 20, 1975; September 30, 1983; June 24, 1988; June 29, 1990; June 21, 1996; December 8, 2006.