FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   DATE:  October 26, 2007        CONTACT: Marshall Collins 361.825.2427; Steve Paschal 361.825.2336 Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi to No Longer Take Visa Card for Tuition, Fees and Other Student Charges New Payment Policy is in Line with other State and National Universities CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Effective Monday, Nov. 12, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi will no longer accept Visa credit cards as payment for tuition, fees and other student charges. The new policy follows that found at many other universities throughout Texas and the nation. This policy is necessary because Visa refuses to allow the university to recoup its expenses by charging a fee unless that fee is at a fixed rate for all charges and for all cards accepted. Visa’s request would be in violation of section 54.5011 of the Texas Education Code which states that fees must be reasonable and necessary to reimburse the institution for expenses incurred in the processing and handling of payments. The University will continue to take MasterCard, Discover, and American Express utilizing the student Web site for payments and charge a service fee of 1.9 percent of the total payment. Students may still use Webcheck free of charge. The University Bookstore and Aramark Food Services, contracted operations, will continue to take Visa cards. The change to adding a service fee defrays what the University has paid to card companies for providing students the ability to use credit cards. Other universities that no longer accept Visa and charge a service fee include the University of Texas in Austin (1.7 percent); Texas A&M University in College Station (2.25 percent); Southern Methodist University (2.75 percent); and Baylor University (2.75 percent).