State Collection Process on Overdue Accounts

As a state institution, Salem State University is required to follow the state collection process on overdue accounts. This process includes placing a financial hold on an account, assessing late fees, and mailing collection letters to the permanent address on file.  Students who receive a collection letter should contact the Student Navigation Center immediately to discuss payment options. Any overdue balance must be paid in full in order for the student to be able to register for any future semester. Students who do not respond to the first letter are mailed subsequent second, third and fourth collection letters monthly. If the overdue balance has not been  paid and the student has not contacted the office before the fourth letter is mailed and established a payment agreement, the account is forwarded to a collection agency and to the State Controller’s Office for intercept of tax refunds, eligible MMARS payments, and Massachusetts State Lottery Commission (winning payouts over $600) to pay university debt. The student must then go through the collection agency to pay the balance, which includes all collection fees due to the collection agency. The balance may also be reported to a credit bureau by the collection agency.