Community Exchange

In order to collect open A/R for graduating students, we are considering a requirement that their A/R balances to be paid in full before the student is allowed to walk at graduation. Does anyone else have this policy in place? Currently we will not give the student their diploma until they pay their balance, but this does not deter all students. For students not graduating in the current term, we do not allow them to register for the next term until their balance is paid. Thank you for any help you can provide. 

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Tracie Hark
Vice President, Finance and CFO
Culver-Stockton College
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Hi, we have this policy in place. Graduating students must clear their account balance before we release their graduation regalia. 

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Estefany Gutierrez
Student Accounts Manager
Scripps College
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Hi,

I'm curious as to how you secured the senior leadership buy-in on this policy.  What is your school size?

At my school, we only hold release of the diploma for lack of paid-in-full. 
It used to be both a diploma & transcript hold - but with the new rule about transcripts, transcripts are only held when there is no federal aid on the student's record).

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Lisa-Marie Tursi
Bursar
Sacred Heart University
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-03-2026 03:02 PM
From: Estefany Gutierrez
Subject: Graduating student with A/R balance

Hi, we have this policy in place. Graduating students must clear their account balance before we release their graduation regalia. 

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Estefany Gutierrez
Student Accounts Manager
Scripps College
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Hello, Tracie,

We do not have a policy that restricts walking through the graduation line or that holds their diploma. We send specific outreach to pending graduates a few weeks before graduation reminding them to pay their balance in full immediately. In the outreach we insert a friendly reminder that past due accounts are sent to collections. I would also be interested in what other schools are doing to try to collect on accounts before they leave since we can't hold transcripts. 

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Emily Henson
Bursar and Director of Student Business Services
University of Southern Indiana
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In Colorado, there is a state law that does not allow postsecondary institutions to refuse to provide a transcript or diploma to a current or former student on the grounds that the student owes a debt for tuition, room and board fees, or financial aid funds. Schools can pursue other debt collection methods, but cannot use withholding the transcript or diploma as a means of debt collection. 

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David Pacheco
Compliance and Policy Program Manager
University of Colorado Boulder
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Similar to Colorado, we do not hold transcripts or diplomas.  I would be curious to hear from other New York schools how they interpret NYS law: https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/EDN/640. Thanks!

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Corinna Sutherland
Bursar
Vassar College
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-06-2026 03:03 PM
From: David Pacheco
Subject: Graduating student with A/R balance

In Colorado, there is a state law that does not allow postsecondary institutions to refuse to provide a transcript or diploma to a current or former student on the grounds that the student owes a debt for tuition, room and board fees, or financial aid funds. Schools can pursue other debt collection methods, but cannot use withholding the transcript or diploma as a means of debt collection. 

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David Pacheco
Compliance and Policy Program Manager
University of Colorado Boulder
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Hi Tracie,

We have a similar policy as you.  We place a hold on student accounts with outstanding balances throughout the semester and email the students regularly (weekly) throughout the semester regarding their balance and hold.  The emails state that the hold will prevent them from graduating but we don't have a process in place to prevent them from walking in graduation.  However, we do not give them their diploma with that balance due and hold.  The hold also prevents them from registering for classes for future semesters.  

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Jennifer Laitala
Director of Accounts Receivable
Student Billing
Michigan Technological University
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Hi Tracie,

At Pomona College, we place diploma holds on grads with balances and notify the Registrar's and Dean of Student's Offices. It helps that we have the support from other offices. Once the student pays in full, we remove the hold and notify the Registrar's Office to release their diploma.

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Hilda Enriquez
Student Accounts and Loan Manager
Pomona College
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Hi Tracie,

At Grand Rapids Community College we no longer withhold student transcripts due to outstanding balances following regulatory guidance. While students with unpaid accounts are still permitted to participate in the commencement ceremony, official diplomas are withheld until the balance is paid in full.

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John Globoker
Vice President of Finance and Administration
Grand Rapids Community College
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