UCLA

RESPONSIBILITY

ACTION

Collection Station or

Fee-initiating

Department

Housing Services Debt

Delinquent Balance Notice

• Provides written Notice to the Student of a delinquent balance and the intent to initiate a Hold if the balance is not paid by the due date specified in the Notice;
• The Notice will include the Student’s right to initiate the resolution process by requesting an administrative review, if requested within ten (10) Days from the date of the Notice;
• The delinquent balance due date will be at least ten (10) Days after the date of the Notice.

OR

• If the Student has a delinquent balance after move out, the due date will be at least thirty (30) Days after the date of the Notice, if a Hold was not already in place.

Alternative Payment Arrangement

A Student who requests an alternative payment arrangement may have a Hold placed at the time the arrangement is made. The arrangement will indicate if a Hold is placed as part of the arrangement.

If a Hold is not placed as part of the arrangement and the Student does not honor the arrangement, a Hold will be placed and the alternative payment arrangement cancelled.

Tuition and Related Campus Fee Debt

Delinquent Balance Notice

• Provides written Notice to the Student twice per month by email before monthly due dates of open and delinquent balances on tuition and related campus fees. These Notices reference corresponding punitive action such as delinquent fees and Holds that occur when such charges go unpaid.
• The Notice will include the Student’s right to initiate the resolution process by requesting an administrative review, if requested within ten (10) Days from the date of the Notice;

• The delinquent balance due date will be at least thirty (30) Days after billing date or ten (10) Days prior to the end of term, whichever is less;
• This Notice should be provided during and as part of the billing process. See Attachment A, Example of Hold Notice Language.

All Other Debt

Delinquent Balance Notice

• Provides written Notice to the Student of a delinquent balance and the intent to initiate a Hold if the balance is not paid by the due date specified in the Notice.
• The Notice will include the Student’s right to initiate the resolution process by requesting an administrative review, if requested within ten (10) Days from the date of the Notice.
• The delinquent balance due date will be at least thirty (30) Days after billing date or ten (10) Days prior to the end of term, whichever is less.
• This Notice should be provided during and as part of the billing process. See Attachment A, Example of Hold Notice Language.

Student

Receives Notice and decides to initiate the resolution process.

Notifies Authorized Official of Fee-initiating Department within ten (10) Days from date of Notice.

RESPONSIBILITY

ACTION

Student

Requests an administrative review within ten (10) Days from the date of Notice to the Fee-initiating Department’s Authorized Official or designee.

May request a copy of this Procedure and assistance in understanding it from the Office of the Dean of Students.

Authorized Official or Designee, Fee-initiating Department

Receives administrative review request and supplies Student with a copy of this Procedure.

Arranges review, if feasible, within seven (7) Days of the request or before the end of the current academic term, whichever is first.

Note: If the Student has not made a timely request and a Hold has been placed, the Authorized Official may, for good cause, extend the time for placing the Hold. If an extension is granted, the Authorized Official informs the Collection Station, which directs the Registrar to remove the Hold until the matter is resolved.

Conducts the review, which will not be adversarial, but designed to permit the Student a full opportunity to be heard.

Student

Presents testimony and documentary evidence in support that the debt is not valid.

May invite witnesses to attend in their support and may be assisted by a single representative.

Authorized Official or Designee, Fee-initiating

Department

Invites witnesses and obtains records that the Collection Station or Fee-initiating Department has in support of the validity of the debt.

Authorized Official or Designee, Fee-initiating

Department (con’t)

Within seven (7) Days of the conclusion of the administrative review, the Authorized Official decides whether debt is valid, invalid, or partially invalid. The Authorized Official’s determination as to the full or partial invalidity of a debt will be binding on the University. At the Student’s request the Authorized Official will allow the Student to view the documentation in support of the validity of the debt.

If the debt is found to be invalid, promptly provides written Notice to the Student and sends cancellation Notice to the Collection Station

OR

If the debt is found to be valid on all or any part of a debt not in excess of $50.00, promptly provides written Notice to the Student

OR

If debt is found to be valid on all or any part of debt in excess of $50.00, promptly provides written Notice to the Student, with a statement that the Student has a right to appeal, refer to Step 2, below.

Collection Station or

Fee-initiating

Department

If cancellation Notice is received, removes Hold

OR

If no cancellation Notice is received, places a Hold.

Dean of Students

At any time:

1. May direct the Collection Station or Fee-initiating Department to remove a Hold under circumstances judged to create an unusual and serious hardship for the

Student; and

1. Is authorized to seek a compromise or settlement of the debt mutually satisfying to the Student and Fee-initiating Department.

RESPONSIBILITY

ACTION

Student

Following an administrative review, receives written Notice upholding the validity on all or any part of a debt in excess of $50.00.

Within ten (10) Days of the date of the written Notice, files an appeal with the Office of the Dean of Students or grievance@saonet.ucla.edu.

Appeals will be in writing and must include:

1. The Student’s contention as to the invalidity of the debt;
2. Any documentation supporting the Student’s claim; and
3. Whether the Student is to be assisted by a representative at the appeal hearing and if so, whether that representative is an attorney.

Note: Students assisted by a representative must sign a release at this time authorizing the representative to receive copies of relevant materials.

Hearing Coordinator

Receives appeal and notifies the Collection Station and the Fee-initiating Department as soon as possible.

Authorized Official or Designee, Fee-initiating Department

Provides the Hearing Coordinator with the administrative review decision and any appropriate documentation within five (5) days of being notified of the appeal.
 

Note: A Hold will remain during the appeal process, unless removed by special action by the Dean of Students, as noted in Step 1, above.

Hearing Coordinator

Appoints a Hearing Officer.

The Student and University Official may, for good cause, challenge the assignment of a particular Hearing Officer. The Hearing Coordinator will adjudicate all challenges to the Hearing Officer. 

Schedules an impartial hearing on a date mutually agreeable to all parties. The hearing must be completed within sixty (60) Days of the receipt of the appeal.

At least ten (10) Days prior to the hearing, notifies in writing, the Student and University Official, of the time and place of the hearing.

Requests that each party provide relevant material, including the identities of all witnesses that the parties intend to produce at the hearing, at least five (5) Days prior to the hearing.

Student and University

Official

Each party provides the Hearing Coordinator with relevant material, including names of all witnesses which they intend to introduce at the hearing, at least five (5) Days prior to the hearing.

The Hearing

Scope of Hearing

The hearing is limited to determining whether the challenged debt is invalid in whole or in part.
 

Hearing Officer

Conducts hearing. The Hearing Officer will determine the admissibility of evidence and its order of presentation and may exclude any irrelevant or unduly repetitive evidence.

Student and University Official

Both the Student and a University Official representing the Fee-initiating Department will have the right to be present throughout the hearing and to be represented by another person.

The University may be represented by an attorney if the Student is represented by an attorney, or if the debt is Housing Services debt from unpaid rent which may trigger an eviction process.

Both parties will have the opportunity to present evidence and witnesses and to present questions to be asked of each other’s witnesses.

Typically, the Student presents their information and witnesses followed by the University.

Evidence may be verbal or written, but must be limited to issues raised in the written appeal. Admissible evidence will be of the sort upon which reasonable persons are accustomed to rely in the conduct of serious affairs.

Representatives

If the Student is represented by an attorney, the University will be represented by an attorney.

Witnesses

The hearing shall be closed except to participants.

Witnesses may attend the hearing only during their testimony, unless the Hearing Officer requests otherwise.

The Hearing (con’t)

Record

The Hearing Administrator will make a single verbatim recording, such as a tape recording, of the hearing. This recording will be the property of the University. No other recording may be made. A Student who is considering submitting an appeal to the Chancellor will, upon request, be granted access to review (but not copy) the recording. This access will be provided on the University campus, during regular business hours; the recording may not be removed from the premises or reproduced. The Student may be accompanied by the representative who accompanied the Student at the hearing.

All records pertaining to the hearing, including the recording, will be kept by the University in accordance with the UC Retention Schedule at the Office of the Dean of Students Office.

Hearing Officer

Makes a report to the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs within ten (10) Days of the close of the hearing based on a review of evidence presented in the hearing.

This report will contain findings of fact as to whether the debt is invalid in whole or in part based on a preponderance of evidence.

Sends a copy of the report to the Hearing Coordinator, who will provide the report to the Student, Collection Station, and Fee-initiating Department.

Vice Chancellor,

Student Affairs (VC)

Makes a decision on the recommendations of the Hearing Officer within fifteen (15) Days of receipt of the report.

The Student, Collection Station or Fee-initiating Department (if they are different) and their representatives are promptly notified in writing of the VC’s decision by the Hearing Coordinator

Note: If the debt or any part is upheld as valid by the VC and is not paid by the Student within ten (10) Days of the date of the VC’s Notice, the Collection Station may direct that a Hold be placed, if a Hold is not already in place.

RESPONSIBILITY

ACTION

Student

Requests a final appeal with the Chancellor in writing and submits it to the Hearing Coordinator within ten (10) Days of the date of the decision by the VC.

The Student may file an appeal with the Chancellor only in the following cases:

1. Completed the administrative review process and appeal process as outlined in Steps 1 and 2 above; and either
2. New evidence has been brought to light which was not available by diligent effort at the time of the hearing; or
3. Established procedures were not followed.

Chancellor

Makes a decision within thirty (30) Days of receipt of the final appeal. The Student is promptly notified in writing of the Chancellor’s final decision.

Note: If the Chancellor’s decision on the appeal is different from the original decision, the Collection Station or Fee-initiating Department (if they are different) and their representatives will be promptly notified in writing of the Chancellor’s final decision.