SEMO CONSOLIDATES FINANCIAL SERVICES

Southeast Missouri State University has consolidated its student financial services in an effort to better serve students, school officials said Tuesday.

The Board of Regents approved the reorganization, which merges the university's student receivables and collections department with financial aid services.

William Duffy, vice president of finance, said the move would create a centralized, one-stop service center for students to secure financial aid and make payments.

Duffy said the move would provide a more coordinated approach to assist students and their parents throughout the financial aid and billing process.

Duffy said students often have felt like they were "bounced around" in dealing with financial aid.

The university hopes by this fall to offer students the ability to pay on-line.

Dr. Ken Dobbins, Southeast's president, said the university is trying to offer a number of services on-line. "What we are trying to do is find ways to make our services better for students," he said.

Don Dickerson, president of the Board of Regents, said on-line financial aid would be a benefit, particularly to students served by the university's outreach centers.

Duffy said the merger of services could result in some cost savings.

Southeast, he said, is one of a few universities in the nation that has centralized financial services for students.