Students who cannot make their entire payment upfront may sign up for a payment plan through TuitionPay, a division of Sallie Mae Business Office Solutions. Students pay a one-time fee of $35 and one-fifth of their tuition bill, then spread the remainder across four monthly payments.

“It’s more manageable than the 50-50 plan,” Yust said. “It’s their total bill spread out over four months.”

MSSU’s payment policy is similar to those of other nearby universities, including MSU and Pittsburg (Kan.) State University. Each of those schools offers payment plans for students.

The university’s new method of billing requires students to take an extra step of responsibility, Yust said. Previous bills were handled by a third-party company that printed, folded and mailed the bills on a monthly basis.

The cost of that service was not available Friday afternoon, Yust said.

“Students will have to go online to view their account, then print off a bill,” Yust said. “It’s a little more responsibility on students’ part.”

Junior Nikki Llewellyn, of St. Louis, said the new system hasn’t bothered her.

“It’s probably cheaper for the school,” she said. “I had to get used to LioNet, but it will be better in the future.”

The new system requires a learning curve and isn’t as efficient, said senior Karl Keczkemethy, of Seaside Heights, N.J.

“I hate to bad-mouth my own school, but I can’t stand this new system,” he said. “It was easier when they mailed bills to me.”

Alone in state

Board of Governors Chairman Dwight Douglas said in February that Missouri Southern was the only four-year institution in the state that offered a 50-50 payment plan.