The Rocky Mountain Collegian

In an effort to encourage employees to make use of Saint Louis University's direct deposit program, the University payroll department will no longer issue paychecks via the intra-University mail system, beginning on Jan. 1.

Checks will no longer be available to pick up on campus. Instead, the University will mail the checks of any employees who choose not to enroll in direct deposit straight to their home addresses. This applies to faculty and staff as well as student workers.

"We, as an employer, are trying to get people into direct deposit so we don't need to worry about checks getting lost or stolen," said Kathy Hagedorn, vice president of human resources. "The majority of employees already do direct deposit, and we found a high degree of satisfaction with the program."

Direct deposit will also allow employees to have access to the money paid to them more quickly, Hagedorn said.

Employees aren't the only ones who will benefit, Hagedorn said. SLU will, too.

"Eventually, this will save the University money," she said.

Hagedorn said that the information that used to be available only on a printed check is now more easily accessed on the computer or at the bank.

"Soon, paper will become unnecessary," she said.

In addition to money spent on printing the checks, Hagedorn said, "If a paper check was made, we had to pay an employee to deliver it."

According to Hagedorn, the amount of money the University would save from a transfer to a paper-free payroll would be "substantial."

In order to enroll in the direct deposit program, University employees are instructed to return a completed form and an attached void check to Payroll Services on the fifth floor of the Salus Center. The form must be received by Nov. 30 in order to ensure participation in the program by Jan. 1.

Employees can obtain the direct deposit form by contacting any of the payroll staff or e-mailing the payroll office at payroll@slu.edu. Forms are also available at US Bank on the lower level of the Busch Student Center for the convenience of University employees who need to open a checking account in order to enroll in the program.

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