the Informer

Students will be receiving refunds from the University using a new, faster disbursement method, beginning in December.

The Hartford Card is the equivalent to a debit card, and is provided through HigherOne, a company geared specifically toward financial services of higher education establishments.

Students can expect to have the Hartford Card delivered to them through the mail, within the next couple weeks, and should look out for the bright green envelope they will be delivered in because activation of the card is required whether a refund is expected of not. If the card is not activated and a refund is due in the future, a student may have to pay a replacement fee.

The switch to this method was done in an effort to get students their refunds from loans, or other payments to the University in a more efficient fashion. In years past, it would often be a slow process for refunds to be sent out, and students only had the option of picking up checks in person. The Hartford Card was designed with the intention of facilitating this through increased options for delivery.

The biggest change with the move to the Hartford Card is the three options students have for obtaining refunds from the school. The first and quickest option is to use the card directly—any refund will be processed and distributed instantly onto the Hartford Card (hosted by MasterCard). The card can then be used just like a declining credit card. Money can be deposited or withdrawn from a HigherOne ATM that will be located on campus (other ATMS may charge a service fee).

In order to utilize this option, it is important to know students must create a checking account with HigherOne, referred to as an OneAccount. While there are no minimum balance charges associated with these accounts, there are additional fees such as $.50 for PIN-based transactions, 3.5 percent for a cash withdrawal from a location other than an ATM and $50 for an account that has been overdrawn for more than 45 days.

If a student would like to avoid using the card itself, or signing up for an OneAccount, they can also opt for a direct deposit of funds to an existing account. This will take two to three days after the refund is processed, as opposed to the same-day delivery of the OneAccount. The final option takes the longest—up to five business days—but actual checks can also be mailed to students if they desire.

The first step in activating the Hartford Card and choosing the disbursement method to verify the address it should be delivered to. Students should have received an email in the past few days with the address the University has on record. It can then be verified through the Self Service Center by going to the personal menu, then clicking on “answer a survey.” An option to keep the same on-campus address appears, or a new address can be typed in. Students who verify their address will be entered in a raffle for a $100 gift card to the bookstore.

Once the cards are sent out, students can activate them and choose their disbursement method by going to hartfordcard.higheroneaccount.com.