Policies & Regulations
The Business Office manages and directs the accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll, and purchasing functions of the college.
Tuition and fees have a deadline each semester. Please contact the Business Office to ensure payment is received by the due date.
Payments for tuition and fees are due to the Business Office and must be received by the stated deadline for each semester in order to be officially registered.
Failure to pay by the stated deadline will result in students being deregistered from class(es), and students will be ineligible to attend class or receive grades.
Students are considered officially registered if they have:
- Paid in full (account balance is $0)
- Pending financial aid (as shown on the student’s account) in excess of the amount due on the student’s account.
- Student is being sponsored by Third Party and appropriate paperwork has been received.
- Successfully enrolled in a payment plan.
If you register after the beginning of the term, payment is due at the time of registration. DREG for non-payment for the Fall Semester will occur on the following dates:
- 08/14/2025
- 08/21/2025
- 09/15/2025
- 10/20/2025
- 12/08/2025
Refunds for curriculum and continuing education tuition are subject to North Carolina Community College System policies.
Curriculum and Continuing Education Refund Policy
The College follows the refund policies established by the North Carolina Community College System. The following are specific guidelines which have been established in accordance with these policies. Allow a minimum of two weeks for processing of refund requests. Refunds for less than $5.00 will not be made.
A full (100%) tuition refund shall be made if the student officially withdraws prior to the start date of the class. Example – If the start date of class as indicated on the student’s schedule is September 1, the student must withdraw from that class on or before August 31 to receive a full (100%) tuition refund.
A 75% tuition refund shall be made if the student withdraws on or before the census date of the class. The census date for a class is the 10% point of the class.
No tuition refund shall be made if the student withdraws from a class after the census date of the class. The census date for a class is the 10% point of the class.
Continuing Education courses follow the same refund policy with the exception of non-regularly schedules courses.
After a non-regularly scheduled CE course section begins, the college shall provide a 75 percent refund upon the request of the student if the student withdraws or is withdrawn by the college from the course section prior to or on the 10th calendar day after the start of the course section.
The student fees, accident insurance premium, and some program specific fees (i.e., malpractice insurance fees, processing fees, etc.) are not refundable unless the student officially withdraws prior to the start date of his or her classes, a student’s class is canceled, or the college determines an institutional error has occurred.
The Campus Store refund policy is posted in the campus store.
The Business Office accepts checks in accordance to policy. Returned checks will be charged an NSF fee.
Check Acceptance Policy
CVCC gladly accepts personal checks for payment when presented with current valid state-issued photo ID.
CVCC can only accept checks with a preprinted name and address from a financial institution. No starter/counter checks or checks with an expiration date (credit card account checks).
When paying by check or money order by mail, include the student’s name and ID number on the check to ensure proper credit.
Returned Check Policy
If a check is returned by the financial institution for any reason, a $35 charge will be added to the student’s account. Catawba Valley Community College will not accept a check from anyone who has previously presented two or more checks that were returned for any reason.
Checks returned for any reason and not paid in full within 14 days of notification may result in the incident being submitted to Todd Bremer and Lawson for collections.
Students are responsible for any and all amounts due on their accounts. Failure to pay any balance in full may result in:
- The student will not be able to register for classes
- The student will not receive grades or transcripts
- The account may be turned over to the North Carolina Department of Revenue for collection
- The account may be turned over to a collection agency where the student’s credit may be adversely affected
Student accounts must be paid in full within 90 days of the due date to avoid collection procedures.
Any account over ninety (90) days past due may be turned over to the NC Department of Revenue, Set-Off Debt Unit, to collect from your NC State Tax Refund until the account is paid in full. This is in accordance with G.S. 105A of the North Carolina General Statutes, Set-Off Debt Collection Act.
Any account over ninety (90) days past due may be turned over to a collection agency where the student’s credit may be adversely affected. Once the account has been submitted to a collection agency, students must remit payment to them directly.
Payment plans and/or other payment arrangements are not available to past due accounts. Checks are not accepted for payment on past due accounts.
All public purchasing personnel shall be entirely cognizant of the necessity of ethical behavior and everyone involved in the purchasing process is held accountable to the following principles and standards of Catawba Valley Community College’s purchasing practices:
- The purchasing power of the State shall not be used for private advantage or gain. Employees or other individuals will not process orders for articles for ownership.
- Avoid the intent and appearance of unethical or compromising practice in relationships, actions and communications.
- Refrain from any private business or professional activity that would create a conflict between personal interests and the interests of the institution.
- Refrain from soliciting or accepting money, loans, credits or prejudicial discounts and the acceptance of gifts, entertainment, favors, or services from present or potential suppliers which might influence, or appear to influence purchasing decisions.
- During the bid process, do not discuss with suppliers: cost information, bid information or trade secrets. Handle all information of a confidential or proprietary nature with due care and proper consideration of ethical and legal ramifications and governmental regulations.
Code of Ethics
The staff of the Purchasing Office of Catawba Valley Community College is committed to the following Code of Ethics:
- To conduct all purchasing activities according to the applicable laws, rules, regulations and policies set forth by the State of North Carolina and the local governing Board of Catawba Community College
- To uphold the practices and principles of the professional purchaser.
- To conduct all purchasing activities in such a manner as to develop and maintain good public, business and internal relationships.
- To encourage fair and open competition by legitimate and ethical means.
- To extend honest, courteous and impartial treatment to all interested and qualified suppliers.
- To maintain purchasing’s integrity at all times, keep free from any personal obligations to vendors and respect their confidence.
- To promote the goodwill of the Purchasing Office at all times.
- To respect purchasing’s authority at all times, and not use it for private advantage or gain.
Integrity Statement
Fairness and impartiality in all phases of the process is an essential ingredient in public purchasing. Integrity is manifested through fairness, openness, honesty, objectivity and impartiality.
Similar to other service organizations, the purchasing department is only as good as the quality of the service it renders. The purchasing process cannot be both effective and self-serving at the same time. Fairness is required in expending public funds. No matter how strongly a user may prefer a particular product or service to others, equivalent products and services must be given every reasonable consideration or there must be strong justification backed by evidence.
Sponsored students must submit a new letter each semester.
Catawba Valley Community College will accept sponsorship agreements in lieu of payment; however, a sponsorship letter of authorization must be on company letterhead and include the student’s name, Social Security and/or student ID number, the sponsor’s billing address, contact person, phone number, what charges are covered, and any limits on amounts allowed.
Students must submit a new letter of authorization each semester
Employer and sponsors may fax this information directly to the Business Office. Please also fax a current pay stub for the employee, if using this option. NC employers and state agencies are invoiced at the in-state tuition rate. In order to receive the in-state rate, the sponsor must be the student’s employer. Employment must be verifiable with a current pay stub showing North Carolina state income taxes paid or withheld.
Volunteers and contract workers are not considered employees for invoicing situations. Sponsor invoices must be paid with company checks. Personal checks are not acceptable.
Please note that student sponsorship is a guarantee of payment for all authorized tuition and fees. CVCC will reduce the sponsor invoice by the applicable refund amount if the student drops within the refund period (75% of tuition only), but no amounts are credited for classes dropped after the refund period is over. If student(s) drop or terminate employment during the semester, the sponsor will remain liable for any charges previously authorized.
Sponsored Student Procedures
- Ask the sponsor to fax a “Letter of Authorization” to (828) 624-5240. CVCC cannot process the sponsorship without the letter from the sponsor. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure the Business Office receives the letter.
- Pay any amount due that is not covered by the sponsor when the student registers.
- All sponsorships must be secured and received by the stated payment due date for each semester. Sponsorship students should plan accordingly by obtaining the sponsor’s authorization letter and ensure the Business Office receives it. Any student whose sponsorship is not secured by the payment due date may be deregistered from class and will then need to reregister for classes.
If a student must pay a portion of the tuition and fees (perhaps the sponsor only authorized a certain amount or the student may be taking a class that is not being paid by the sponsor), the student may pay the remaining balance by the payment due date for each semester.
See a problem? Contact the NC State Auditors Hotline
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