Frequently Asked Questions:

South Dakota Public University System's SDePay e-Commerce Process

1. What changed November 2005?

2. How can I pay my bill?

3. Why did the South Dakota University System make the changes?

4. What company has the South Dakota University System partnered with?

5. Why are we using a third party vendor?

6. How was the 2.75% rate determined?

7. Why is VISA no longer accepted?

8. Are other colleges and universities making similar changes?

9. Can I pay my tuition and fee account using a credit card?

10. What credit cards do you accept?

11. How will the credit and debit card charges look on my or my Authorized Payer's credit card or bank statement?

12. How can I pay my account on-line?

13. How does e-Billing work for a student and for an Authorized Payer?

14. I do not feel comfortable making payments on-line. How should I pay my bill?

15. Do I need a certain type of computer, software, or Web browser to use

    e-Billing?

16. Can I have my e-Bill sent to my personal e-mail account instead of my

    University e-mail account?

17. Can I use any type of check as an e-Check?

18. Can I pay my account by mail?

19. How does this affect my bill?

20. What if I didn't receive the e-mail notification?

21. What are the benefits or cost savings to this?

22. How do I set up an Authorized Payer on my account?

23. Who and how do I contact someone on campus if I have more questions?

24. Is the infiNET QuikPay® website secure?

1. What changed November 2005?

• Students are able to view and pay their student charges on-line.
• Students pay on-line 7 days a week with e-Check, which is free to the students.
• Students can authorize parents, guardians, etc. to view and pay student charges on-line.
• Students and Authorized Payers pay on-line 7 days a week with a credit or debit card. A service charge of 2.75% will be charged by infiNET for this service.
• Credit and debit card payments can only be made on-line.
• Students/Parents can still pay by:
• Check or cash at the University Business Office.
• Paper check mailed to the University Business Office.

2. How can I pay my bill?

• On-line: Students can pay on-line through a WebAdvisor link to SDePay by clicking on the link provided by the email notification using e-Check, credit or debit card [American Express, Discover Card, MasterCard (credit and debit)]. If you use a card to pay your bill, you will be charged a 2.75% service fee by infiNET. You will not be charged a fee if you pay on-line by e-Check.
• On-line: Authorized payers can pay on-line through the South Dakota University System SDePay at: https://quikpayasp.com/sdbor/campus/studentaccounts/authorized.do , using e-Check or credit card [American Express, Discover Card, MasterCard (credit and debit)]. If you use a credit card to pay your bill, you will be charged a 2.75% service fee. There is no service charge if you pay by e-Check.
• By Mail: If you wish to pay by paper check, please include your student id number on the bottom of the check to insure the amount is posted to your account. Mail your payment to the address listed on the statement. We cannot accept or process credit and debit card information through the mail.
• In Person: You can pay in person by check or cash at the University Business Offices, during normal business hours posted at the Cashier's station. We can not accept credit or debit card payments in the University Business Offices.

3. Why did the South Dakota University System make the changes?

During the 2004-05 academic year, credit card companies assessed the University System approximately $500,000.00 in bank fees to process tuition and fees made with credit and debit cards. Due to bank surcharges and other complications with credit card processing, many colleges and universities do not accept credit card tuition payments at all. Because we cannot continue to justify paying these processing fees, the University System has considered dropping this payment option. However, we recognize that many students and their families appreciate the convenience of using a credit and debit card, and we have searched for alternatives. The savings realized from the reduction of paying bank fees will provide additional funds to support instructional programs.

4. What company has the South Dakota University System partnered with?

infiNET Solutions is the vendor with whom the South Dakota Public University System has contracted to provide for secure on-line payments, on-line statements, and e-Billing services. infiNET Solutions is providing QuikPay®, a hosted electronic bill and payment service.  Our contract with them ensures that the processes are compliant with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley (GLB) Act.

5. Why are we using a third party vendor?

Almost 20% of our students/parents pay tuition and fees with their credit and debit card. Currently, the South Dakota University System has been absorbing the credit card processing fees charged by the credit card companies. The cost of these bank fees is increasing at an alarming rate. Although some schools have chosen to no longer accept credit or debit cards, we felt that with the high number of credit card payers we have, it would be a disservice to our University communities if we eliminated them altogether. The vendor, infiNET, has the expertise in on-line payment and billing systems to meet all security and privacy issues and meets the banking and credit card industry compliance requirements. Our contract with them ensures that the processes are complaint with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley (GLB) Act.

6. How was the 2.75% rate determined?

That rate is determined by our vendor, infiNET. The Service Charge is charged to your credit or debit card and paid to infiNET.

7. Why is VISA no longer accepted?

VISA's credit card rules will not permit a company/vendor to a charge a percentage service charge.  To accept VISA cards, VISA would require the University to apply a service charge fee for eCheck transactions rather than eChecks being a free service to the student or authorized payer.

8. Are other colleges and universities making similar changes?

Colleges and universities all over the country have made similar changes to their credit card payment policies. Temple University is processing its credit card payments just like us. Penn State charges a fee for credit card payments, does not accept VISA, and accepts credit card payments only on its e-payment website. Other Universities not accepting VISA include Indiana University, Syracuse University, and the Universities of Illinois, Nebraska, and Texas. A number of colleges and universities are not accepting credit card payments at all, but the South Dakota University System searched for alternative options that would permit credit card payments.

9. Can I pay my tuition and fee account using a credit card?

American Express, Discover Card and MasterCard can be used to pay student charges online. The links to the online payment site can be found on the email notification and on WebAdvisor. If you use a card to pay your bill, a 2.75% service charge will be charged by and payable to infiNET. You will not be charged a fee if you pay online by eCheck.

The South Dakota University System does not accept credit or debit card payments for student tuition and fee charges.

10. What credit cards do you accept?

Our vendor infiNET will process American Express, Discover Card, or MasterCard payments on SDePay. The links to online payment site can be found on the email notification and on WebAdvisor. If you use a card to pay your bill, a 2.75% service charge will be charged by and payable to infiNET. You will not be charged a fee if you pay online by eCheck.

The South Dakota University System does not accept credit or debit card payments for student tuition and fee charges.

11. How will the credit and debit card charges look on my or my Authorized Payer's credit card or bank statement?

Tuition and fee charges will be identified on the credit card statement with this description: SD TUITION & FEE PAYMENT
The Service charge fee will be identified on the credit card statement with this description: INFINET SERV FEE SDBOR
Tuition and fee charges will be identified as a normal debit charge on your bank statement. 

12. How can I pay my account on-line?

You can pay online from any computer that has internet access, for example from home, from your dorm room, from the campus library or campus student center. The University Business Office staff will not be able to process your online credit/debit card payment at the campus cashier station, however the cashier will be able direct you to a kiosk for you to use to process your payment securely online. If you use a wireless connection you are advised to use encryption to protect your personal information.

13. How does e-Billing work for a student and for an Authorized Payer?

An email notification will be sent from e-commerceProcess@sdbor.edu to your official university email address, announcing that the Student Account Statement is ready to be viewed/paid online.  The announcement will also be forwarded to the email address of Authorized Payers.  This will be sent each time a new statement with an outstanding balance is processed.  We will continue to send paper bills to your address of record through Summer 2006. Starting Fall 2006 only email notifications will be sent regarding student billing information.

If you are a student, a link in the email notification will take you to SDePay where you can safely log into the eBilling Web site by using your WebAdvisor username and password.

Once on the eBilling site, students may set up parents, guardians, or others as Authorized Payers who have access to view the statement and make online payments (see Authorized Payers section).

If you are an Authorized Payer (set up in advance by a student), a link in the e-mail notification will take you directly to the eBilling site, where you can securely log in by typing in your user name and password.

Once logged in, all eBilling users will be directed to the “Message Board” of the eBilling site. Important information related to eBilling will be posted on this page, so please review it.

Click on “View Accounts” to see the current Student Account Statement.

To make payments, click “Make Payment.”

To print the bill, click on the PDF icon on the “View Accounts” screen. This copy can be used for record-keeping or for mailing payments to University (address is on the PDF). You can also print any screen by clicking the print icon on your browser toolbar.

Other functions include the ability to see up to 16 months of statements, beginning with the November 2005 statement (on the “View Accounts” screen, select “Statement History” from the drop-down menu); and the ability to see a history of online payments.

14. I do not feel comfortable making payments on-line.  How should I pay my bill?

You can still view the Student Account Statement online without having to make secure online payments. If you wish to pay by paper check, please include your student id number on the bottom of the check to insure the amount is posted to your account. Mail your payment to the address listed on the statement. We cannot accept or process credit or debit card information through the mail or by phone. We hope that you will try the online payment feature of SDePay. It is quick, convenient, secure, and you won’t have to pay postage or check fees.

15. Do I need a certain type of computer, software, or Web browser to use      SDePay?

You can use the SDePay system from any Macintosh or PC running Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.1. or newer, or Netscape Navigator 6.0 or newer.

16. Can I have my e-Bill sent to my personal e-mail account instead of my University e-mail account?

Students within the University System will automatically be provided an official University email address upon admission. University policy requires all students to regularly check messages sent to their University email address. After receiving the eBill notification students will be responsible for forwarding the notification to their personal email accounts.

17. Can I use any type of check such as an e-Check?

No, only checks from regular bank, savings and loan and credit union checking accounts will be accepted. Checks issued from savings accounts, credit card companies, money market accounts, home equity or other lines of credit cannot be processed as an eCheck. However, you can mail those checks. If you wish to pay by paper check, please include your student id number on the bottom of the check to insure the amount is posted to your account. Mail your payment to the address listed on the statement.

18. Can I pay my account by mail?

Yes. If you wish to pay by paper check, please include your student id number on the bottom of the check to ensure the amount is posted to your account. Mail your payment to the address listed on the statement. We cannot accept or process credit or debit card information through the mail.

19. How does this affect my bill?

Instead of mailing out student invoices each semester, you will be emailed a notification from e-commerceProcess@sdbor.edu that a new statement is ready to view and pay in SDePay. The email notification will be sent to your official university email address. Any authorized payers which you have created profiles for will also receive the email notification. Payment and payment plan arrangements will still be due prior to the start of the term. You will receive additional emails anytime a new statement is posted to your account. However, at anytime, you will be able to view and pay your current balance online.

20. What if I didn't receive the e-mail notification?

If you have not received an email notification before the tuition payment deadline, you need to contact the Registrars’ Office to confirm your University assigned email address and password. You are responsible for the timely payment of your tuition and fees. You can always view your account balance on WebAdvisor and pay from that information or stop by the Cashier Office to obtain your balance owed.

21. What are the benefits or cost savings to this?

The benefits to students will be: they are able to make payments at their convenience, they won’t have to stand in line to pay tuition and fees, they won’t experience being placed on hold on the telephone or getting a busy signal, they won’t have to come to campus to make a payment and won’t have to fear a late payment charge due to a delay in surface mail.

In addition to the cost savings from merchant fees, the University will have reduced printing costs, reduced mail processing costs, reduced postage and reduced costs for returned mail due to invalid addresses.

The savings realized from this new service will be redirected into academic and student focused initiatives, which in turn will enhance the student learning experience.

22. How do I set up an Authorized Payer on my account?

Log into SDePay eBilling site via WebAdvisor.  You will need to have the email address of the Authorized Payer to complete the setup process.

Follow the online instructions to create a user name and temporary password for each Authorized Payer. The temporary password will be changed by the Authorized Payer when they first log in.

An email will be sent from SDePay to your authorized payer. It will contain the following information:

 Dear Authorized Payer,
 
(Your Name) has set you up as an authorized payer on their online student account.
You have been assigned the following username: xxxxxx Please contact (Student name) to learn your password.

You can access your new account at the following URL:
https://quikpayasp.com/sdbor/campus/studentaccounts/authorized.do
Upon logging into the system you will be required to reset your password.

Each billing cycle, both the student and the Authorized Payer will receive an e-mail notifying them that the eBill is ready. Students access SDePay via WebAdvisor; Authorized Payers receive a link in their e-mail that takes them directly to an SDePay login page. This ensures the privacy of student information in WebAdvisor.

23. Who and how do I contact someone on campus if I have more Questions?

If you have questions, please email us at:

 WebAdvisor links:

24. Is the infiNET QuikPay® website secure?

The South Dakota University System believes that security is a very important factor in  providing E-billing and E-payment services.  The technical architecture/security of the infiNET product uses intrusion detection and firewall systems to protect the network.