Nicholls State to hand debt collection duties to AG

Nearly $2 million in unpaid debt from Nicholls State University students is being turned over to the office of Louisiana Attorney General James D. Caldwell. The school's lack of debt collection resources was cited as the main reason for the move, as determined by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors. "The attorney general will take over this responsibility in January of 2012," said Mike Naquin, associate vice president for finance and chief financial officer at Nicholls State. "Until then, we urge all students, former students and alumni with unpaid tuition and fees to promptly pay the university." Nicholls' debt, which has accumulated over the past 30 years, can be attributed to various factors, such as students who still owe tuition fees. Under the AG, the debts are subject to legal collection efforts, ranging from letters and phone calls to lawsuits. Naquin also noted that the University would be contacting indebted students in an attempt to recoup funds before the 2012 deadline, the Nicholls Worth reports. Students who didn't pay tuition fees by the school's August 16 deadline were subject to a $100 late fee, with an additional $125 tacked on if they failed to pay by September 6.