Bursar's Office

Accounts Receivable Posting Journals

Arranged By: By date
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.01

Purpose:

This record series consists of the posting journals for all accounts receivable transactions that occur through the Bursar's Office. Hard copies are currently maintained for four months before being transferred to microform.

Procedure:

Microfilm record series on an ongoing basis. Upon successful completion of microfilming process, dispose of all hard copies. Retain all microforms in office for six (6) years, then dispose of providing all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Audit Trails

Arranged By: By semester, then Alphabetical and by social security number
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.02

Purpose:

This record series consists of audit trails generated by the Bursar's Office for each semester. These audit trails provide the following information for each student enrolled in the University: student name, total number of hours enrolled, amount billed for tuition, amount of any scholarship money credited toward the student's tuition, total amount of tuition paid, amount of material fees, and the amount of any money refunded to the student. The current semester and two previous semesters are retained directly on mainframe AMDAHL, with the earliest semester then placed on microfiche at the beginning of a new semester. All information prior to 1985 is maintained on hard copy only.

Procedure:

Retain all hard copy and microform formats in the office permanently.

Batch Control Documentation

Arranged By: Chronological by date and batch
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.03

Purpose:

This record series consists of batch control documentation maintained by the Office of the Bursar. The records microfiche copies of batches of payments which are entered daily into S.A.R.S. (Student Accounts Receivable System) for: Student payments - student name, social security number, and trans code (indicates what the payment was received for and the account number it was deposited to in G.A.S.)Cash and Deposits - indicates the identifying number of the Department or type of sale. Each batch is identified by total and identifying batch number (e.g. month, day, initial of user, and suffix).

Procedure:

Retain batch control documentation in office for four (4) months, then microfilm and dispose of hard copy. Retain microfilm copy in office for six (6) years, then dispose of providing all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Batch Control Reports

Arranged By: Alphabetical by institution
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.04

Purpose:

This record series consists of batch control reports of the Bursar's Office. Information contained within the reports includes the batch number, the number of transactions in each batch, the institution the transaction occurred in, the dollar amount deposited in the batch by type of deposit (cash, check, charge, etc.), the total dollar amount of the batch and the length of time the batch was open.

Procedure:

Retain in office for six (6) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.
Student Bills

Arranged By: By date order
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.05

Purpose:

This record series consists of microfiche copies of student bills for tuition and room and board maintained by the Bursar's Office for each semester. Typical information contained on the bills includes the student's name, the student's schedule, the number of hours that the student is enrolled, the amount of financial aid the student is receiving, any scholarship money the student is receiving, any late charges and interest owed, the total amount owed, and a disclosure statement, if applicable. The microfiche is generated from computer tape and is the Office's record copy.

Procedure:

Retain in office for six (6) years following the closure of accounts, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Deposited Check Files

Arranged By: Chronological
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.06

Purpose:

This record series consists of the deposited check files maintained by the Office of the Bursar. The records include microfilm copies of all checks deposited to the Bursar's Office which are then deposited into their respective accounts with various university affiliated banks.

Procedure:

Microfilm as processed, then dispose of original paper. Retain all record series microforms in office for six (6) years, then dispose of providing all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Returned Check File

Arranged By: Alphabetical by name
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.07

Purpose:

This record series consists of returned checks and corresponding file cards which are maintained by the Bursar's Office. Any check written by a student to the University which is returned due to insufficient funds is stapled to a file card containing the following information: student name, social security number, dollar amount of the check, date check was written and date returned, whether the debt has been charged off by the University in accordance with the Act in relation to uncollectable claims and accounts receivable of state agencies (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch.15, par. 102) or remains an account receivable, the date, voucher number, and account number to which any debt was charged off, and any related correspondence. A hold is put on the records of any student who fails to pay the University; thus, this information is needed in order to answer any questions regarding holds on records.

Procedure:

Take the following steps for disposition: a) Retain all documentation regarding those returned checks which have been paid off by the individual for six (6) years after closure of account, then dispose of providing all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated. b) Retain all documentation regarding checks which remain unpaid or those which are charged off by the University permanently in the office.

Returned Check Ledgers

Arranged By: By date and file number order
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.08

Purpose:

This record series consists of ledger listings of all checks returned to the Bursar's Office due to insufficient funds. Information contained in the ledgers includes name of person writing the check, the check's assigned file number, dollar amount of the check, date check was written, what the check was written for, and the date the check was returned to the office.

Procedure:

Retain in office for six (6) years after the date the account is closed because it has been paid in full, or until the account is written off in accordance with the Act in relation to uncollectable claims and accounts receivable of state agencies (Ill. Rev. Stat. 1989, ch.15, par. 101 et seq.), then dispose of providing all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Credit Reports

Arranged By: Date order
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.09

Purpose:

This record series consists of credit reports generated and used by the Bursar's Office. These reports list all students with a credit balance on their account which is to be refunded. All refunds are written from these reports.

Procedure:

Retain in office for six (6) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated

Daily Balancing Reports and Supporting Documentation

Arranged By: Chronological
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.1

Purpose:

This record series consists of daily balancing reports prepared by the Bursar's Office and supporting documentation used to record payments received by the office and bank deposits made by the office each day. In addition to the reports, which contain listings of the dollar amounts received by each cashier, the overall dollar amount received by the office, a listing of the total dollar amount prepared for bank deposit by each cashier, the following supporting documentation is maintained: duplicate deposit tickets prepared by each cashier, adding machine tapes used by the cashiers to determine total for deposit, bank books, copies of bank debits and credits used to check for errors, copies of journal entries used to make corrections, and duplicate impress documents.

Procedure:

Retain in office for six (6) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Edit Registers

Arranged By: Date order
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.11

Purpose:

This record series consists of duplicate copies of the edit register of the Bursar's Office, which are listings of all transactions that are processed through the office each day. The following information is recorded for each transaction: the name of the depositor, the amount deposited, receipt number, date, the account number deposited to, the batch number, the cumulative total for the batch, and the overall total that went into the General Accounting System. The original edit registers are maintained by the Accounting Office.

Procedure:

Retain in office for three (3) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Foundation Loan Receipts

Arranged By: By receipt number
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.12

Purpose:

This record series consists of receipts which document payments toward Foundation Loans.

Procedure:

Retain in office for two (2) years after date of payment, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Foundation Loan

Arranged By: Date order
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.13

Purpose:

This record series consists of weekly Foundation Loan reports made by the Bursar's Office regarding these short-term loans which are taken out by students. Each report contains the following information: the loan number, name of person receiving the loan, a listing of any payments that have been made on the loan, the General Accounting System account number that any payments are deposited in, the total amount that has been paid toward the loan or if the loan has been paid off in full, and the total weekly amount collected by the office which is deposited in the bank.

Procedure:

Retain in office for two (2) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Hold and Release Files

Arranged By: Alphabetical by student
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.14

Purpose:

This record series consists of the hold and release files maintained by the Office of the Bursar. The files contain all information retained on holds placed upon student records due to delinquent payments (e.g. overdue tuition, parking fines) including student’s name, address, social security number, reason for hold, and the amount owed. One copy of the paid hold was considered as the release form. An additional copy was retained by the Office of Registration and Records. Hard copy is no longer used as holds are now placed and removed through an on-line computerized system.

Procedure:

Dispose of accumulation of hard copy providing all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated and providing all administrative value has expired. Dispose of all computerized information annually as updated.

Interest Reports

Arranged By: Chronological
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.15

Purpose:

This record series consists of interest reports maintained by the Office of the Bursar. The records contain interest reports derived from SARS (Student Accounts Receivable System) which indicates all interest calculated for various student transactions (e.g. tuition payment).

Procedure:

Retain in office for six (6) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Distribution Journals

Arranged By: Chronological
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.16

Purpose:

This record series consists of the distribution journals maintained by the Office of the Bursar. The journals indicate the distribution of funds within the University's General Accounting System (GAS) for all monies received. The journals are maintained in the office for four (4) months, then microfilmed and hard copy documentation disposed of.

Procedure:

Retain in office for four (4) months, then microfilm and dispose of original paper. Retain all record series microforms in office for six (6) years, then dispose of.

Laundry Token Reports

Arranged By: Date order
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.17

Purpose:

This record series consists of monthly laundry token reports generated and used by the Bursar's Office to monitor the number of laundry tickets sold to, refunded, or mutilated by residents of University residence halls each month. A monthly physical inventory of tokens is also taken in order to match the number of tokens listed in the report to the actual number of tokens. Only the cash receipts for sale of the tokens are audited.

Procedure:

Retain in office for one (1) year, then dispose of.

Lorado Taft Reports

Arranged By: Numerical by fiscal year
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.18

Purpose:

This record series consists of the Lorado Taft reports maintained by the Office of the Bursar. Lorado Taft is an NIU affiliated field campus and center for instruction in outdoor teacher education located near the city of Oregon, Illinois. The records contain fiscal reports broken down by monies collected for various campus fees and services. The reports, along with duplicate deposit tickets, are sent to NIU's main campus where they are entered into the University's General Accounting System.

Procedure:

Retain in office for six (6) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipate. supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipate.

Proof Tapes

Arranged By: Date order
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.19

Purpose:

This record series consists of the original proof tapes for checks that have been encoded by the Bursar's Office for bank deposit. Information contained on each tape includes the number assigned to each check by the machine, the dollar amount that the check was proofed for, and the total amount that each bank deposit was proofed for. The original adding machine tapes used to add the check totals are attached to the proof tapes.

Procedure:

Retain in office for two (2) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Cash Receipts of Payments on Returned Checks and Reconciling Reports

Arranged By: Chronological
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.2

Purpose:

This record series consists of the cash receipts of payments on returned checks and reconciling reports maintained by the Office of the Bursar. The information contains: the file number, subject's name, the dollar amount deposited, service charges, and the date of deposits. Originals are maintained with the University's Accounting Office.

Procedure:

Retain in office for three (3) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Uarco Receipts

Arranged By: Numerical by receipt number
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.21

Purpose:

This record series consists of receipts issued by various departments of the University for any money collected by them. All blank receipt forms are issued by the Bursar's Office to the departments. The departments then return a copy of the receipt to the Bursar's Office. Thus, the office maintains the only complete, consecutive collection of all the receipts issued.

Procedure:

Retain in office for two (2) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Refund Forms and Cards

Arranged By: By semester, Alphabetical
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.22

Purpose:

This record series consists of refund forms and cards maintained by the Office of the Bursar. The records contain original refund cards (old system) and duplicate refund forms (new system) which are used as a record of student refunds on tuition and fees, room and board, and financial aid. The information includes student's name, social security number, the amount refunded, the reason for the refund, the address the refund was mailed to, and the date mailed. This information is retained as backup documentation in the event of a discrepancy in the amount of the refund.

Procedure:

Retain in office for six (6) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Board of Regents Refund Request Forms

Arranged By: Chronological by semester, Alphabetical
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.23

Purpose:

This record series consists of the Board of Regents refund request forms maintained by the Office of the Bursar. The records contain requests for refunds of campus fees, submitted to the Board of Regents by students whose current status (e.g. student teaching, internship) only allows them to attend off-campus classes and/or who live outside of a fifteen-mile radius of the University. Specific information includes student name, social security number, list of current courses, amount of refund, and the date of authorization.

Procedure:

Retain in office for six (6) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Residency Forms

Arranged By: Chronological by semester, Alphabetical by student
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.24

Purpose:

This record series consists of the residency forms maintained by the Office of the Bursar. The records contain information retained on student residency status including student name, social security number, change in status (e.g. out-of-state to in-state), and the semester the change is effective. Original residency forms are maintained with the Office of Registration and Records.

Procedure:

Retain in the office for one (1) year, then dispose of provided all administrative value has expired.

S.A.R.S. Purged Transaction Files

Arranged By: Chronological
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.25

Purpose:

This record series consists of the S.A.R.S. purged transaction files maintained by the Office of the Bursar. The files contain a microfiche record of all completed transactions that have been purged from the Student Accounts Receivable System (SARS) for: Student Institutions - e.g. student status billings (in/out of state), financial aid, material files, and room and board Cash and Deposit Institution - cash sales at the Bursar's Office (e.g. graduation fees, art locker rentals) and departmental deposits (e.g. traffic fines).

Procedure:

Retain in office for six (6) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Monthly Statements File

Arranged By: Chronological
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.26

Purpose:

This record series consists of a monthly computation of daily reports by the Bursar's Office. These reports show billings and payments for each day along with an end-of-month balance. This information is later merged into an end-of-year report.

Procedure:

Retain in office for two (2) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Student Data Reports

Arranged By: Chronological by semester and date
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.27

Purpose:

This record series consists of student data reports maintained by the Office of the Bursar. The information contains a record of student's schedules (e.g. number of hours carried, classes, billing codes, G.P.A., and total hours accumulated). The originals are maintained with the Office of Registration and Records.

Procedure:

Retain in office for two (2) years or until all administrative value has expired, whichever is longer, then dispose of.

Tuition/Fee Bills

Arranged By: By semester, then Alphabetical
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.28

Purpose:

This record series consists of all tuition/fee bills processed by the Bursar's Office. These bills are currently microfilmed on an ongoing basis.

Procedure:

Microfilm, then dispose of original paper. Retain microfilm for six (6) years following payment of all bills, then dispose of providing all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Tuition, Fee, Internal Waivers

Arranged By: Alphabetical
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.29

Purpose:

This record series consists of payment waivers of tuition, fees, and internal cost. These waivers are granted to civil service workers, faculty, and coop (student teachers) employees by the University and the Bursar's Office. These waivers are used for educational purposes (i.e. taking classes).

Procedure:

Retain in office for six (6) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.

Tuition Stubs

Arranged By: Chronological and tape number order
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.3

Purpose:

This record series consists of the tuition stubs maintained by the Office of the Bursar. The stubs contain information retained on tuition payments including social security number, student's name, amount of aid, date, method of payment, and the person receiving the payment (initials).

Procedure:

Retain in office for six (6) years, then dispose of provided all audits have been completed under the supervision of the Auditor General, if necessary, and no litigation is pending or anticipated.
Waiver Files

Arranged By: Alphabetical by type
Application Number: 89-23
Item Number: 200.31

Purpose:

This record series consists of the waiver files maintained by the Office of the Bursar. The records contain all information retained on tuition and fee waivers for civil service and academic personnel including name, social security number, type of waiver, courses taken, and related correspondence. This data is also retained on Student Institution Purged Microfiche.

Procedure:

Retain in office for ten (10) years or until expiration of administrative value, whichever is longer, then transfer to the University Archives for permanent retention in office for six (6) years, then dispose of.

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Ethics and Compliance Office
Health Services Building, 2nd floor
815-753-5560
eco@niu.edu