Business & Finance Services Operations in Response to COVID-19

  • March 23, 2020

Monday, March 23, 2020

From:             Allison Baird-James, Associate Vice Chancellor/Controller

Subject:          Business & Finance Services Operations in Response to COVID-19

Colleagues:

In alignment with UCLA campus safety measures relating to the COVID-19 crisis and California’s Safe at Home directive, some financial operations and procedures for UCLA Business & Finance Services (BFS) – which includes Student Accounts, Payment Solutions & Compliance, and BruinCard Center – have been temporarily amended, may be delayed, and/or suspended.

While most services are being transferred to the MyUCLA Message Center, BFS management would like to advise you about new procedures that are effective immediately.

Please share this information with your colleagues.

Student Accounts Office

Inquiries: Message Center

Phone: (310) 825-9194, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm*

*Phone service unavailable 9/23 and 9/25 due to high volume of inquires.

Third Party Sponsorship Inquiries: [email protected]

COVID-19 Financial Aid Disbursements:

Refund Type Description Notes
BruinDirect Direct deposit made to customers with a U.S. bank account. Receive funds within 2-3 business days of the refund posting to BruinBill. Enroll on BruinBill under My BruinDirect. 

Refunds posted to BruinBill after you enroll will be disbursed via BruinDirect.

BruinDirect FAQ
Western Union Global Pay

Submit Western Union's Global Pay Foreign Transfer Request to have your refund distributed via an electronic fund transfer to a foreign bank account. Please note that processing these requests may take 6-8 business days.

 
Western Union Retail Payment

Submit Western Union's Retail Cash Disbursement Request to have your refund distributed via cash pick-up. Please note that students will be required to visit a Western Union Retail location in person.  You may be eligible for this refund method if Western Union Retail locations are available in your country and you have a government issued identification in order to collect funds.

  
Paper Check

If you are not enrolled in either BruinDirect or the Western Union options, your refund method will be defaulted to a paper check. A paper check will be mailed to the mailing address registered with the University. Please note that UCLA is not able to mail checks internationally. Due to COVID-19 impacted delays with mail services and reduced campus operations, a paper check will require additional time to reach the U.S. mailing address registered with the University.

Students should update their official address on MyUCLA under Settings.

 

Other Processes:

Process

Changes

Notes

Walk-Up Window Services, Phone Services

Window services are closed.

Phone services are available Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 10am - 12pm and 2pm - 4pm.

Services available through Message Center Monday - Friday from 9am-4pm.

Expedited Vendor Checks

Discontinued

Payee/Dept. setup electronic option with AP

Tuition Payment Deadline 12/20

New deadline 12/28 at 5:00 p.m. online

Questions via Message Center
BruinPay Plan Enrollment Deadline 12/20 New deadline 12/28 at 5:00 p.m. online Questions via Message Center

BAR Refund, Stop Payment, Reissuance Requests

Redirected to Message Center

Refund option through BruinDirect instead of paper check

Student Name Only Check Pickup (Scholarship Checks)

Student Accounts will schedule an appointment with students through the Message Center

  

Financial Aid Overaward Installment Account Processing

Online submission form with e-signature via Message Center

Student must make initial payment with BruinBill instead of cash payment

Bankruptcy Processing

Limited mail pickup

 

Audit of Petty Cash & Change Fund

No physical attestation; No new opening or closure of accounts

 

Ch. 33 VA Debt Letter Processing

Registrar will initiate process, followed by Student Accounts

 

Gift Card

Physical gift cards and eCodes are available

Dual Custody will be maintained using Zoom to be scheduled by Student Accounts

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Payment Solutions & Compliance

Inquiries: Message Center

Phone: (310) 794-5333, (Monday - Friday 10am-2pm)

Process

Changes

Notes

Walk-Up Window Services, Phone Services

Open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Security guard will provide escort at 1125 Murphy Hall for window service

*Closed on Wednesday, January 6.

Additional information may be obtained through the Message Center

Tuition Payment Deadline 12/20

New Deadline 12/28

Questions via Message Center

Receiving/Processing Live Checks (Account Payments)

Checks received during the reduced window hours will be processed by PSC

Possible delay in check processing and payment application
Live Checks Received by UCLA Departments

i) CASHNet cashiering locations should follow their regular business procedures for sending live check payments to the bank (Brink's services)

ii) Non-CASHNet cashiering locations may follow MDDS guidelines for sending their live checks to PSC for processing

View Timely Collection and Deposit of Live Checks from Unopened Mail communication.

 

View Department Instructions for Received Live Checks communication.

Receiving and Processing Cash Payments

Cash will only be received during the reduced window hours from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

 

Mail – received daily

Mail is received Monday-Friday

Possible delay in processing

Cash Disbursement (Petty Cash & Change Fund)

Scheduled through Brinks between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

May explore other non-cash options like electronic gift cards (eCodes)

Gift Card

Physical gift cards and eCodes are available

Dual Custody will be maintained using Zoom scheduled by Student Accounts

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BruinCard Center

Inquiries: Message Center

Process

Changes

Notes

Walk-Up Window Services, Phone Services

Effective, Monday, April 27, 2020 – Open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Window service is by appointment only using the Message Center. Appointment center is at 1121 Murphy Hall – 1st floor. Security guard at Murphy Hall will provide escort to the 1st floor to maintain social distancing

Preference is the Message Center

Emergency Card Replacement

By appointment only; Submit request through Message Center, prefaced with “Urgent”; BruinCard will schedule card pickup at 1121 Murphy Hall – 1st floor between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, or Friday; Security will provide escort to the 1st floor to maintain social distancing

Cardholder must upload government-issued ID for verification; Replacement fee managed via BruinCard Stored Value account

Cash Deposits & Visitor Card Purchases via PHiL Kiosks

Discontinued

Utilize web deposit process

Job Walk for BruinCard Door Readers

Discontinued

If urgent, use the Message Center and preface the message with “Urgent”

Disabling Door Access in an emergency (new process)

Submit request through Message Center, prefaced with “Urgent”

 

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As we adjust to these new practices and procedures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to share regular updates through email and on our websites as required. The information shared above demonstrates that while many of our duties can be completed remotely, certain daily operations must continue to be conducted on campus. We are confident in the MyUCLA Message Center and BFS’s ability to keep services running as close to normal as possible.

The COVID-19 crisis is testing all of us in many ways. While we will do the best to complete transactions in a timely manner, unforeseen delays may arise. Thank you for your patience, flexibility and cooperation during this challenging set of circumstances.

Sincerely,

Allison Baird-James
Associate Vice Chancellor/Controller
UCLA Corporate Financial Services

Tags
BruinCard
Payment Solutions & Compliance
Student Accounts
Systems