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What is the Controllers Office?
The Controllers Office at the University of Kansas is the central financial division that keeps the university's business operations running. According to its page, it provides "financial leadership and innovation in business strategy and processes" and works with the wider university community to improve financial systems, processes, practices, policies and guidelines. In practical terms, it is the office that handles the university's money behind the scenes — reporting, accounting, payments, payroll and related services.
It is organized into three main areas:
- Financial Reporting Services (FRS) — prepares financial reports and tax returns and manages related financial processes.
- Financial Management Systems (FMS) — an integrated software suite covering functions such as financial accounting, payment processes, deposit transactions, budgeting, grants management, asset management and reporting.
- Financial Services — central finance operations for the Lawrence and Edwards campuses, including Accounting Services, Accounts Payable, the Finance Help Desk, Payroll Services, Property Accounting Services, Student Accounts and Receivables, and Travel.
Who it is for: staff and departments across the university who need to process payments, manage budgets or grants, handle travel expenses or payroll, and students or families dealing with tuition billing and payment through Student Accounts and Receivables. The office is located in Strong Hall, Room 223, on the Lawrence campus.
A useful next step: if you know which task you need help with, go straight to the relevant unit rather than the general office. For student billing or payment questions, start with Student Accounts and Receivables; for invoices and reimbursements, Accounts Payable; for payroll issues, Payroll Services. If you are unsure, the Finance Help Desk is the sensible first contact, and the general office email is [email protected].
One caveat worth noting: the page lists "Make a Payment" and "Payment Plans" links that point to the Student Accounts and Receivables site at sar.ku.edu, so those specific payment options are administered there rather than by the Controllers Office directly.
How do I make a payment to KU?
To pay the University of Kansas, start at the Controllers Office site and use its Financial Services links; the office points students and families to the Student Accounts and Receivables area for payment options and payment plans rather than handling payments on the Controllers Office homepage itself. The official starting points are:
- Student Accounts & Receivables – "Make a Payment" and "Payment Plans" pages
- Controllers Office – central finance operations, including Student Accounts and Receivables
Which route fits your situation
| If you are… | Likely payment route | Where to start |
|---|---|---|
| A student paying tuition and fees | Online payment or an installment plan through Student Accounts | Student Accounts & Receivables |
| A parent or authorized payer | Same student account portal, using delegated access | Student Accounts & Receivables |
| Paying a department invoice or reimbursing KU | Accounts Payable or the Finance Help Desk | Controllers Office |
| A KU employee with a payroll or travel question | Payroll Services or Travel | Controllers Office |
A practical next step: open the "Make a Payment" page first to see the accepted methods and deadlines, then check "Payment Plans" if you want to spread the balance over the term. If a charge does not appear in your student account, contact Student Accounts and Receivables before paying, since department charges and student charges are handled by different units. For general questions, the Controllers Office lists [email protected] and Strong Hall Room 223, 1450 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045.
What are my options for a payment plan?
Payment plan options are handled by Student Accounts and Receivables, not by the Controllers Office site itself. The Controllers Office page points students to the university's payment pages, where you can Make a Payment or review Payment Plans.
What to expect
Most university payment plans split a term's balance into installments rather than requiring one lump sum. Typical variations:
- Number of installments — commonly 3–5 per semester, with the first due near the start of the term.
- Enrollment fee — many plans charge a small non-refundable setup fee per term.
- Coverage — plans usually apply to tuition and mandatory fees; housing, books, and prior balances may be excluded.
- Auto-draft — some plans require automatic payments from a bank account or card.
Practical next step
Log in to the student account portal before the term's payment deadline, confirm your current balance, then enroll in the plan that matches your cash flow. If your balance includes housing or a prior-term charge, verify whether those amounts are eligible before you commit.
A quick comparison
| Situation | Likely better fit |
|---|---|
| You can pay most of the bill now | Pay in full, avoid the enrollment fee |
| Income arrives monthly | Standard installment plan |
| You have an unusual one-time gap | Ask Student Accounts about a short-term arrangement |
If you receive financial aid, check whether your disbursement date falls before the first installment — aid often covers the balance and makes a plan unnecessary. For questions about eligibility or missed payments, contact Student Accounts and Receivables directly through the Controllers Office at [email protected].
How do I access the Financial Management Systems?
Access to the Financial Management Systems (FMS) is arranged through the University of Kansas Controllers Office, which describes FMS as a single integrated suite covering financial accounting, payment processing, deposits, budgeting, grants, asset management, and reporting. The office's FMS page is the starting point for access details and any required setup.
Controllers Office
What to expect
- FMS is intended for campus departments and staff with administrative business responsibilities rather than the general public.
- Because it handles payments, grants, and accounting records, access usually involves authorization tied to your role and a university login, not a self-service public signup.
- The Controllers Office also runs a Finance Help Desk, which is the practical route for access questions, new-user setup, and permission changes.
Practical steps
- Start at the Controllers Office FMS page to confirm current access instructions.
- If you already have a KU online ID, have it ready; if you are new to a finance role, ask your department's business manager to sponsor the request.
- Contact the Finance Help Desk if the page does not cover your situation.
If you need to make a payment or set up a payment plan as a student or payer, that is handled separately from FMS access through Student Accounts and Receivables.
Student Accounts and Receivables
What is the Finance Help Desk and how do I contact them?
The Finance Help Desk is one of the units within Financial Services at the University of Kansas, which handles central finance operations for the Lawrence and Edwards campuses. Alongside it sit Accounting Services, Accounts Payable, Payroll Services, Property Accounting Services, Student Accounts and Receivables, and Travel. In practice, the Help Desk is the first point of contact when a department or employee has a question about a financial system, a payment or deposit process, or where a transaction should be routed.
How to reach the office
The Controllers Office lists a single central contact route rather than a dedicated help desk phone line:
- Email: [email protected]
- In person or by mail: Strong Hall, Room 223, 1450 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045
The site does not publish a separate Help Desk phone number or walk-in hours, so email is the safest first step.
A practical way to use it
If you are unsure whether your issue belongs to the Help Desk or another unit, describe the transaction rather than the department: what you are trying to do, which system you are in, and any document or voucher number involved. That lets the office route you to Payroll, Accounts Payable, Travel, or Student Accounts directly instead of passing you along. For payments and installment questions, the office points to the university's payment options and payment plans pages via Student Accounts and Receivables.
If your question is about your own tuition bill rather than departmental finance, start with Student Accounts and Receivables; the Help Desk is aimed mainly at campus business functions.
How can I get help with payroll or travel expenses?
For payroll questions, travel reimbursement, or expense issues at the University of Kansas, start with the Financial Services unit of the Controllers Office. It handles central finance operations for the Lawrence and Edwards campuses, and its units include Payroll Services, Travel, Accounts Payable, and Student Accounts and Receivables. That means most payroll and travel-expense problems route through the same office rather than through your department alone.
Who to contact, by issue
- Payroll (paychecks, direct deposit, tax withholding, timesheets): Payroll Services.
- Travel expenses (reimbursement, expense reports, travel policy): the Travel unit.
- Vendor invoices and payments: Accounts Payable.
- Student account charges and refunds: Student Accounts and Receivables.
How to reach them
The Controllers Office is in Strong Hall, Room 223, 1450 Jayhawk Blvd., Lawrence, KS 66045, and the general email is [email protected]. For the fastest answer, email the specific unit rather than the general address, and include your employee or student ID, the relevant dates, and any transaction or report numbers. If your question is about a payment deadline or paying a balance, the Student Accounts side points to payment options and payment plans through the university's student accounts and receivables office.
A practical next step
Check whether your issue is really a policy question or a transaction problem. Policy questions (what is reimbursable, how travel is approved) are usually answered by the Travel or Payroll unit directly. Transaction problems (a missing deposit, a rejected expense report) often need your department's business manager first, because they can see the internal approval chain before it reaches central finance. If you are unsure, the Finance Help Desk within Financial Services is the intended first stop for routing.
The main trade-off: going straight to a named unit is faster for clear-cut issues, while starting with your department contact avoids back-and-forth when the problem sits in an internal approval step. For broader university context, the main KU site is University of Kansas.
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