Q. Why is this change being made?

A. Our current practice of charging student accounts has resulted in ongoing confusion and uncollectable debts. Since we currently collect printing fees in arrears, students often receive bills in the summer long after they have graduated or returned home. This generates a lot of confusion and can result in holds being placed on accounts. In addition, we've had to increasingly write off a lot of printing charges for students who refuse to pay. Financially, this is unsustainable.

Q. What is the practice at other universities?

A. Pre-paid printing is the norm at most other universities. Some colleges and universities charge their students a separate technology fee (SOU does not) and a portion of those fees are often used to provide a limited printing quota in lieu of pre-paid printing. We could not find any other colleges or universities in our region that allow students to charge printing to their student account.

Q. How do I add funds to my printing account?

A. Funds can be added from a credit card or a checking account. Instructions are available here for Credit Cards and here for Checking Accounts.

Q. How do I request a refund?

A. The process to request a print refund has not changed. Instructions are available here.

Q. At the end of the year, can I request a refund of any unused credits?

A. Yes, just submit a request to the IT Help Desk using this online web form.

Q. I'm a student worker, how do I avoid being charged for work-related materials?

A. Most departmental printers do not "charge" for printing, so your account won't incur any charges. For department printers and copiers that do charge, check with your supervisor on how to use a shared account code for your work-related printing.

If you accidentally charge work-related printing to your personal account, request a refund and note the reason.

Q. Is there any free printing on campus?

A. Yes, check with the Resource Centers in the Stevenson Union and the lab at the Higher Education Center.