Card, mobile credential, payment and security
Whether out of habit or sentimentality, many people continue to carry their student ID card with them long after their time on campus as student has expired. But could a credential that no longer carries its original functionality do more than just evoke old memories?
That was the question posed in our 2015 coverage of the topic that looked at some of the tangible benefits that an alumni credential could provide. Alumni are an invaluable commodity to any college or university. Not just in the form of donations and ongoing support, but also in spreading the traditions and brand of the university. Our "Alumni cards open doors for services, engagement" offers an in-depth look at what role an alumni card could play in fostering the university's brand and image, as well as examines what is already being done with alumni cards.
In the story, learn specifically about the University of Alberta, where the ONEcard office has been issuing the Alumni ONEcards since 1996. Designed as a means to keep alumni engaged with the university beyond their time on campus, Alberta's alumni credential also offers tangible and benefits for cardholders in the forms of both discounts and access to campus facilities.
There are a number of services that campuses can provision via an alumni card. Access to campus facilities like rec centers for either be paid or included membership is a common perk. But alumni cards have also been used for access to other campus facilities like swimming pools, computer labs and a plethora of university athletics and events. Beyond access control at campus facilities, alumni cards could also be used to enable purchases at campus vending machines or dining halls and facilitate discounts at off-campus merchants and retailers.
If you campus has contemplated an alumni card, then our "Alumni cards open doors for services, engagement" from 2015 is sure to offer some valuable considerations.
The University of California, Riverside is set to deploy a reusable to-go boxes in campus dining and will be the latest campus to deploy the OZZI system.
As reported by Riverside's campus publication, The Highlander, the project is a joint effort between UC Riverside’s Green Campus Action Plan and fellow California institution, UC Merced and its dining services. In addition to the reusable to-go containers, the project will also install OZZI's proprietary vending machines at UCR dining commons.
All students and faculty will have access to reusable food containers and be able to use the OZZI machines installed at the dining commons to return the to-go boxes after use.
The OZZI vending machine.
UC Riverside will benefit from UC Merced's lengthy experience with the OZZI solution, which dates back to 2012. At UC Merced, students visiting a dining hall swipe their student ID card for verification and payment for their meal and then specify they want to use an OZZI container.
The initial iteration of Merced’s deployment required a first-time user to buy into the program at $5.00 for their first OZZI container. Students could then visit a kiosk to return the used container, and receive either a metal token for the next container or an eToken on their meal plan account. If at the end of the year, a student still has a metal token or eToken left, they would be refunded their initial $5 buy in as a credit to their meal plan account.
The implementation at Riverside follows the typical campus OZZI deployment formula. The company’s reusable containers are placed in the dining hall for students to fill with food at which point the student reports to the cashier to checkout.
The reusable boxes then stay with the student until they return to the dining hall for their next meal, at which point students feed the container into the OZZI vending machine to receive their token for the next reusable box.
The containers themselves are durable, and typically feature bar codes on the bottom so purchases can be tracked. Each container is built to withstand roughly 200 washes, and aren't meant to be washed by students before being reused; rather they must be sanitized between uses by a university’s dining services department.
The OZZI system has grown its user base to include a number of large institutions including Vanderbilt, Boston College and Ohio University.
HID Global has revealed its new retransfer printer that features record new issuance speeds. The HID FARGO HDP6600 High Definition Printer/Encoder halves the time it takes to print the first ID card, while doubling overall throughput as compared to other printer alternatives.
The HID FARGO HDP6600 printer is the company’s sixth-generation retransfer printer under the FARGO brand. The company has completely reengineered the retransfer printing concept and redesigned the printer from the ground up to accelerate high-volume, high-quality printing, as well as provide lower per-card printing costs. The new printer is also easier to service, less expensive to operate and more flexible across a wider range of issuance applications.
The bump in issuance speed is the result of the patent-pending iON™ “instant on” technology coupled with other hardware advancements that enables simultaneous film printing and card retransfer processes. This approach reduces the time it takes to print the first card to just 60 seconds and raises overall throughput to as many as 230 cards per hour.
The approach also eliminates the need for continuous transfer roller heating and scales back the printer's overall energy usage. For larger issuance projects, users could save thousands of dollars in annual energy costs.
“With the HID FARGO HDP6600 printer, HID Global has redefined retransfer technology innovation,” says Craig Sandness, Vice President and Managing Director for Secure Issuance with HID Global. “The HID FARGO HDP6600 is not only breathtakingly fast and efficient, but it represents a whole new way to think about retransfer printing.”
The new FARGO printer also boasts true 600 DPI resolution, and a precision color panel registration enables sharper text, crisper barcode edges and more vibrant colors. The printer uses a multi-tasking architecture supported by a gigabyte of memory to aid in faster card throughput and has been designed so that the card path, film and ribbon drawer assemblies are all easier to access and service.
The HDP6600 is field-upgradable with optional modules in the form of a card flattener, dual-side flipper, choice of magnetic, contact and contactless encoders, and a programmer option for encoding physical access control system data.
For more, check out the full spec sheet for the HID FARGO HDP6600.
Duke University is set to more strictly enforce student ID card verification at its outdoor athletic fields. The decision comes after recent incidents of club-affiliated activities and reserved practices being interrupted by non-university members using the fields.
As reported by The Duke Chronicle, the ID card policy at the outdoor fields will now mirror the requirements for entry to other campus rec facilities and require everyone to present their DukeCard. The main difference between the fields in question and the rest of the campus rec facilities is that the athletic fields are managed by Housing and Residence Life, not Duke Recreation and Physical Education.
The issue driving the DukeCard verification is that the fields are used by students and Raleigh locals alike for pickup soccer and other non-university activities. This often leads to conflicts with university sanctioned clubs who have reserved the fields for practice.
The most recent incident involved the university's club cricket team, whose reserved practice time was interrupted by a pickup soccer game already in progress. There's no clear policy dictating how the facility is to be shared with the surrounding community, but outlining specific rules for use will likely be a starting point.
“If Duke really wanted to share its space, the best thing to do would be to have a very clear policy of how that sharing will work: between what hours, who will ensure the safety and all that policy,” said Arya Roy, faculty adviser for the Duke University Cricket Club. “The problem is that there was no policy that was being imposed.”
The enforcement of student ID cards in the past has been described by some as being a lax system with an “ebb and flow” that was rarely, if ever strictly enforced.
As with many outdoor facilities, strict ID verification can be difficult to enforce, but it is seen as the fairest option for managing the use of the university's outdoor courts and fields. Checking DukeCards also removes the troublesome task of visually discerning those who look like a Duke students from those who do not.
Kent State University faculty and staff now have the option to purchase a meal plan similar to the student plans. The university's dining services announced this month that any interested faculty and staff can sign up for the new meal plan using payroll deduction.
According to a report from Kent Wired, the meal plans will consist of declining balance and dining hall swipes. Declining balance is available for use anywhere on campus while swipes can only be used at Kent State's on-campus dining halls.
“There was a large interest from faculty and staff to be able to purchase meal plans in order to save money on the door-rate in the all-you-care-to-eat dining facilities,” said Leah Spiker, Kent State dining services marketing, in an email to Kent Wired.
The key benefits to the employee meal plan:
The employee meal plan can be purchased in the same way that students purchase their plans. One noticeable advantage to the newly implemented employee meal plan is the ability to use meal swipes at dining halls. Previous employee offerings required faculty and staff to pay the the door rate for dining hall access, but the introduction of meal swipes is expected to save employees money in the long run.
Faculty and staff are now offered an “On The Go Plan,” a “Flash 30 Block" plan and a punch-card option that offers every fifth meal for free.
The “On The Go Plan” includes $150 in declining balance funds, and was tailored more for Kent State's regional campuses but faculty and staff from any campus are eligible. The plan also allows unused declining balance funds to roll over until the employee leaves the university. The Flash 30 Block plan includes 30 meal swipes and $250 in declining balance funds. The unused declining balance funds roll over, but swipes do not.
Blackboard's payments platform, Cashnet, recently won the 2018 Innovation and Excellence Award sponsored by the New England Automated Clearing House (NEACH). The NEACH 2018 Innovation and Excellence Awards showcase outstanding payments products and services to the financial industry and beyond.
The NEACH Awards recognize individuals and organizations that bring new, innovative products and services to market. The Innovation and Excellence Award winner demonstrates proficiency in six categories:
Cashnet now provides secure transaction services to over 700 higher education campuses, serving some 5 million students nationwide. Cashnet's range of services rests on a PCI-compliant platform that's tailored specifically to higher education environments.
The platform enables campuses to accept the full range of payment methods -- credit/debit cards, ACH, 529 plans, and international payment methods -- and students can securely make payments over the web using a single sign-on. Cashnet also offers flexible tuition payment plan options to help students manage the growing costs of higher education.
“We are thrilled to highlight these examples of extraordinary effort, purpose, and commitment to our industry,” says Sean Carter, NEACH President. “Blackboard’s work is helping to transform payments by providing the tools to make our customers’ financial lives easier, faster, and more secure.”
“Blackboard is very proud to receive this award for our Cashnet product. We thank NEACH for their recognition of our work in making payments easy and accessible for all,” says David Marr, President of Blackboard Transact. “For over 25 years, Cashnet has constantly evolved to create the secure and simplified payments experience that colleges and universities require. We look forward to continuing to work with institutions nationwide to help them simplify electronic payments all over campus.”
The New England Automated Clearing House (NEACH) is a non-profit association that helps its members originate and receive ACH transactions, as well as provide products, services, education, and marketing to increase the acceptance, use and quality of electronic transactions.
When it comes to campus card systems, universities tend to have their own unique demands as they look to serve their different populations. What works for one campus may not necessarily work for another, and the choice of how best to deploy servers for a campus card system is anything but a one-size-fits-all solution.
Whether an on-premise, hosted or Software-as-a-Service structure, finding the right fit comes down to the application purpose, network infrastructure and the institution’s human resource capabilities. That's exactly the challenge we wanted to address in 2014 with our "The future of campus card servers." Nearly five years on from publication, this is as much a topic of discussion now than ever.
For some institutions, it may be appealing to know that its card system is being supported and managed by experts. Externally hosted options can offer this luxury, alleviating some of the university’s responsibility for security compliance, migrating at least a portion of the burden to the provider rather the campus.
But with SaaS offerings there's a tradeoff between simplicity and customization. It's an important consideration for institutions that maintain complex card programs and integrate tightly with other campus systems.
Additionally, some universities may feel more comfortable hosting private or sensitive data–gender, GPA, class status–in a physical location it controls. With a hosted solution, that information leaves the confines of the campus; it’s a matter of preference on the part of the university.
To get a more in-depth rundown on the differences between hosted and on-premise campus card systems, check out our full wrietup, "The future of campus card servers."
The University of Oregon is devoting more effort to its food insecurity initiatives for students, and is leveraging the campus card to help disperse aid to students.
According to a Daily Emerald report, there are now five food security initiatives at Oregon, and helping to tie these programs together is Oregon's OU ID Card -- the university's student ID card. Beyond helping students in need of a meal, the university also anticipates benefits in the classroom for students who leverage these services, as hunger often detracts from students’ abilities to focus and perform well academically.
“When we have students who are food secure, we know that they will do better in school,” said Jill Creighton, Oregon's assistant dean of students, in a Daily Emerald interview. “When you know where your next meal is coming from, when you know where you’re going to sleep at night — those things help our students to exceed in the classroom.”
Students who sign up online for the Ducks Feeding Ducks program can receive $10 on their Duck Buck accounts within an hour of filling out an application and being approved. The money added to student ID cards can only be used at food venues on campus that accept Duck Bucks. The money stays in the account for seven days before being transferred back into the general fund, with students able to apply up to three times per semester.
Another initiative, the Ducks Food Cache, is an alert system for student mobile devices that notifies students when a UO Catering event has leftover food. Still in beta testing, the system will send a text to students that have signed up for the program 15 minutes prior to an event ending. The Food Cache is expected to be active this winter.
A more traditional outlet is Oregon's Student Food Pantry, which allows any student with a valid OU ID Card to fill a grocery bag for free. The pantry is located off campus and operates from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
In addition to the initiatives supported by the campus card, the university also runs a Produce Drop for students to fill a bag of fresh produce for free. The university also supports Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on campus.
At the first Produce Drop, 400 pounds of food was given away to roughly 80 students in 45 minutes. Additionally, some 70 individuals have signed up to beta test the Ducks Food Cache, and the OU ID Card Office has received just under 200 applications for Ducks Feeding Ducks program.
The user experience for students at CBORD campuses has seen a significant overhaul this year thanks to the company’s new GET CBORD Student mobile app. The re-envisioned app consolidates the disparate GET applications under a single, new user interface that is designed to help students better navigate daily life on campus.
Students can now use the one app to manage their campus account including adding to their balance, purchasing a meal plan, using their phone as a mobile credential, placing food orders, opening doors, and more. There’s also a new campus loyalty function that enables universities to reward their students for making purchases or attending events to increase user engagement.
The app relaunched in September and early reviews have been strong.
“It’s been really well received, and we’re seeing excitement from campuses because it helps them improve the overall students experience,” says Jeff Wood, VP of Marketing and Product at CBORD. “GET CBORD Student offers a way for us to help students navigate campus both physically and virtually by presenting the full range of services through a single, mobile interface.”
Prior to GET CBORD Student, the company required use of separate applications for door access, laundry, vending, and attendance. But that is now a thing of the past.
Aesthetically GET CBORD Student is an improvement that incorporates newer, more modern tones to the applications students used prior to the consolidation.
Previously, students used separate applications to activate laundry, vending, open their door, or check in for class. But now one app covers all of these services.
“We didn’t want this to be completely different user experience, so it’s more of an evolution that will retain some familiar features to previous CBORD applications,” says Wood. “This helps us to provide a seamless transition to the new interface.”
While the app features a more modern look and feel, there will be no changes to the campus’ requirements. “The updated app will be pushed to student devices automatically in the form of a software update,” Wood adds.
The GET platform seamlessly integrates with both CS Gold and Odyssey systems, and the GET CBORD Student platform is a modest add-on subscription for CBORD clients, explains Wood.
“Previously, students had to use separate applications to activate their laundry, vending, open their door, or check in for class,” explains Rob Wakelee, Product Owner for GET CBORD Student. “But now they download one app that covers all of these services.”
Wakelee highlights some of the functions in the GET CBORD Student experience that are also included in the platform.
“The virtual card is an additional credential that lives in the app in the form of a 2D barcode, which can be used in place of swiping your card much like using your phone in place of your boarding pass at the airport,” Wakelee explains. Students can use the virtual credential to make purchases and log attendance in addition to the mobile access integration to enter their dorm room.
GET CBORD Student also supports automated deposits, which gives students the option to set a low-balance threshold so if a balance drops below, say $5.00, students will receive a push notification that their account was credited $25.00 using their stored payment method, for example.
The decision to consolidate the disparate student-facing applications was driven by a larger company strategy that CBORD has coined “pivot to the patron.”
“Pivot to the patron is the company-wide initiative that we first announced in 2017,” says Wood. “It’s about giving students an experience that better matches what they’ve come to expect with regards to mobile applications that they already know from other facets of their lives.”
With GET CBORD Student, the idea was to streamline and otherwise improve the student campus experience. “Students don’t want a separate app to open their door from the app that enables them to make a deposit; this doesn’t translate with them,” Wood says.
Wood also points to an increasingly competitive environment in higher education as a major reason to focus on the student.
“More than ever before, the student experience is a major consideration, as students and their families make decisions on where to go to school,” he says. “In fact, we recently conducted an online focus group composed of campus executives and administrators, and all said that the student experience is a major priority for their university’s decision making.”
GET CBORD Student now also includes a loyalty aspect, which rewards attendance, event access, meal plan usage, and more.
The idea behind the rewards feature is that by promoting positive interactions universities can help to inspire healthy and productive experiences for students on campus. Students can see points accrued in the app and can then redeem those points for rewards offered by their institution.
GET by the numbers:
- GET active users this semester: 600,000
- Total GET CBORD Student institutions: 270
“Rewards is a way for a university to engage its students. Maybe there’s a new food venue opening up, and the campus could help drive traffic to that location by offering double reward points for making a purchase there or triple points if they preorder through the app,” explains Wakelee. “Rewards can also be used to incentivize events like seminars or sporting events where universities could offer additional points for attendance.”
Alternatively, driving student engagement and behavior is another benefit of the rewards function. “Universities can positively reinforce healthy habits to help boost a student’s participation and engagement with activities on campus,” Wakelee adds. “The flexibility of the Rewards function is really up to the university and how they choose to tailor their program.”
There are currently three campuses actively using the Rewards feature today, with additional campuses looking at spring launches.
While the progress already made with GET CBORD Student is evident, Wakelee and the rest of the GCS team aren’t finished yet.
“Secure messaging for campus housing is one of the planned additions for next year,” says Wakelee. “The concept would apply to things like two-factor authentication for housing inquiries, or digitally signing registration documents.”
Also in the works are more backend architecture changes that will continue to give the app a more modern look and feel. “With the new development system we’re coding in now, it offers us more flexibility to integrate with other CBORD solutions,” Wakelee explains. “Internally we’re breaking down siloes and building additional interfaces, and that will be reflected in future versions of the app.”
For the time being, however, the decision to consolidate disparate applications and services under a single offering is one that simply makes sense in today’s world. “What we’ve done with GET CBORD Student so far really shows the effort and intent that we’re bringing everything into a single, core user experience,” says Wakelee.
That pivot, Wood says, is largely being motivated by generational changes in student behaviors and expectations. “We’re finding that students today are more demanding than ever in terms of the level of transparency and ability to transact in a mobile fashion, and that’s precisely what we’re delivering with the GET CBORD Student app,” he says.
“Historically we’ve been all about making the lives of our campus users easier, and we’ll continue to do that,” Wood adds. “But we’ve really committed to making the end user a priority now, too. And for us, that’s the student.”
News of Apple devices now supporting mobile credentials on the iPhone and Watch has turned quite a few heads. Now, a student government push at the University of Texas at Austin wants to usher in the era of mobile IDs.
As reported by The Daily Texan, the university's student government has started an initiative to bring mobile IDs to UT after being inspired by an article detailing the Blackboard Mobile Credential at Duke University, the University of Oklahoma and the University of Alabama. A representative for Texas' student government has even gone so far as to reach out to Apple directly to find out how to incorporate mobile IDs on UT's campus.
Students at the launch campuses for Blackboard's Mobile Credential have been leveraging the mobile IDs on their Apple devices for the best part of a month now. The solution provisions a mobile credential to students' Apple Wallets to then be used on iPhones and Watch to conduct transactions on campus everywhere their ID card was previously used.
UT's Police Department, commenting on the idea of bring mobile IDs to UT, sees a potential benefit in the form of fewer lost student ID cards. The prevailing idea being that mobile credentials would help reduce lost IDs, as people are less inclined to lose their phone than they are a student ID card. In fact, the UTPD Lost and Found no longer accepts lost student IDs due to the shear number of cards -- upwards of 20 per week. UTPD now sends lost cards directly to the university's ID Center.
It's worth noting that the move to mobile credentials doesn't happen overnight, unless a campus has prepared for the migration by installing more advanced card reader hardware and infrastructure. Nevertheless, the era of mobile credentials is creating a buzz right the way down to the student level, and the barometer looks to be moving more by the day.
