Florida SouthWestern State College has installed a batch of new vending machines on its campus, but instead of food the machines issue laptops. The new vending machines enable students to use their student ID card to rent laptops.

According to a News-Press report, the machines dispense laptops that students can borrow for up to four hours per session. The laptops can be taken for use anywhere on campus, and the rental is free with a valid student ID card.

The laptop kiosks are part of a larger initiative by the college to ensure all students, regardless of economic background, have access to the same academic tools.

“One of the things we have been looking at is that not all of our students can afford the same technology, so we wanted to make sure all of our students have the same opportunities to succeed at the college with technology,” said Jason Dudley, FSW's chief information officer.

The kiosks are made by LaptopsAnytime and can house up to 12 laptops that slide in and out of charging slots on the front of the machine. Every time a laptop is returned to its designated port, it is charged and a memory sweep is conducted before the next rental takes place.

The laptop vending machines were funded by $60,000 from the college's IT budget, with the first laptop kiosks placed on the Lee and Collier county campuses in August. The program has since grown to a total of 36 laptops available through kiosks at FSW's four campuses throughout Southwest Florida. A fifth kiosk was also added in Fort Myers for use by faculty and staff.

Students rented the laptops a total of 1,331 times this past fall semester. But usage has since spiked with the college already recording 2,200 total laptop checkouts across all kiosks since February 6.

Students use their ID card to check out the devices and must agree to the terms of use, including the four-hour rental window. Students can immediately check out another laptop to finish their work if the four hour window isn't long enough.

If a device is late, the user will be charged $5 for every additional hour, with the fee capped at $120. If a device is lost or stolen, the student will be assessed an $850 replacement fee.

Each laptop runs Microsoft Office, and allows internet connection through the college’s WiFi network, which limits the laptops to only access the internet while on campus. The laptops also include cameras and microphones, as well as software used to proctor exams.

Santa Clara University students, faculty and staff can now add their ACCESS student ID card to Apple Wallet for use with their iPhone and Apple Watch. Santa Clara was among the second group of universities announced to leverage Mobile Credential in Apple Wallet, following the initial launch at the University of Alabama, Duke University and the University of Oklahoma.

The Santa Clara University community can now use Mobile Credential on Apple devices to access buildings, attend athletic events, purchase meals, check out books from the library and more.

According to an official university release, once a student sets up their ACCESS student ID in Apple Wallet, they can complete any transaction -- on or off campus -- that would have previously required a physical student ID card by simply holding their iPhone or Apple Watch near a reader.

“SCU’s mobile credential has elevated the user experience to a more secure, seamless and convenient user experience,” says Nirmal Palliyaguru, director of ACCESS services at SCU.

Santa Clara has a longstanding relationship with Transact, and has been at the forefront of a number of ID technology initiatives in the past. The decision to partner with Transact and Apple during the initial pilot program of Mobile Credential was a natural fit.

“We are pleased that we could work closely with Apple and Transact to bring the ease and convenience of using just iPhone or Watch to get around on and off campus to all of our students,“ says Robin Reynolds, associate vice president for Auxiliary Services.

Setting up Santa Clara's ACCESS student ID on iPhone and Apple Watch is a simple process for students. After downloading Transact’s eAccounts app, students authenticate with their university credentials and then add their SCU mobile ACCESS card to their Apple Wallet.

In addition to offering students added convenience, Santa Clara’s ACCESS student ID in Apple Wallet also provides an extra level of security. In the past, students would regularly return to SCU’s ACCESS card office to replace lost or stolen ID cards. Now, students no longer have to worry about misplacing their physical card. Student credentials are also now protected by two-factor authentication.

Santa Clara students are already using Mobile Credential for faster, secure transactions, and university officials expect to have the majority of its 5,500 undergraduate students utilizing the mobile ACCESS credential by the end of this academic year.

One of the most common campus implementations for biometric technology is in the dining hall, where quickly sending large numbers of students through a turnstile is vital. One university that seems particularly eager to deploy biometrics in this manner is Dartmouth University, where campus dining personnel are considering a future rollout.

According to a report from student publication, The Dartmouth, Dartmouth Dining Services has been "actively looking" into incorporating biometrics at its Class of 1953 Commons. The 1953 Commons building is one of Dartmouth's main, all-you-care-to-eat dining halls that serves the campus community.

“We realized that we had to be more efficient in getting you into the property and allowing you to get food in the property,” said Jon Plodzik, Dartmouth Dining Services director, in a statement to The Dartmouth.

While the exact biometric modality hasn't been decided yet, any biometric access implementation would enable participating students use their biometric in lieu of their Dartmouth student ID card when entering the facility.

Currently, students present their campus card at a POS unit to gain entry to the dining hall. Plodzik was drawn to biometric technology, in part, because the change would free up existing POS registers to instead focus on cash or credit/debit transactions, Dartmouth's Green2Go reusable to-go box orders, and guest passes.

As is the case with other campuses to implement biometric dining solutions, adding biometrics to dining hall ingress can help prevent long lines from forming and in turn make for a better student experience.

In addition to breaking down long lines, however, biometric entry also provides dining operations with options to better utilize its resources and manpower.

Plodzik said that should a biometric system be implemented at the Class of 1953 Commons, dining services would most likely redistribute employees working the POS station to other locations. These employees could provide cover in under-staffed tasks like waiting tables or loading utensils and tableware.

Plodzik previously worked with biometrics during his time at the University of New Hampshire, and in his statement to The Dartmouth, cited other biometrics success stories including the University of Maryland.

“The director of The University of Maryland wrote to me yesterday,” Plodzik said. “She said, ‘I can’t imagine life without biometric entry. It’s such an efficient process for us.’”

Final approval for a biometrics solution hasn't yet been achieved, but talks between Dartmouth Dining and university administration are reportedly moving the program idea forward. Plodzik hopes that a biometric system will be in place in the coming years.

Plodzik also says that any biometric program implemented by Dartmouth Dining would be entirely opt-in.

Nova Southeastern launched a brand new campus card loyalty program this month that rewards students when they use their SharkCard student ID to make purchases. In addition to rewarding the use of its campus card, NSU's loyalty program is also seeking to improve student engagement on campus by incentivizing attendance and participation in university events.

As reported by NSU's student publication, The Current, the the university's card services office is behind the launch of SharkCard Rewards. The loyalty program rewards all NSU students, whether commuter, online, regional campus or main campus students, when they use their SharkCard to make purchases at designated locations or attend university events.

The SharkCard Rewards program has been in the testing stage since last summer and is now fully operational. ShardCard Services is also fielding student feedback on the program regarding what students would like to see from the program in the future.

The reward program leverages the SharkCard's declining balance funds, and is open to any student on an opt-in basis. Students simply load money onto their card through CBORD's GET app or online with their university credentials. Students will earn reward points for every dollar they spend and two points for every university home game they attend.

“Programs similar to SharkCard Rewards are a trend we’ve noticed in the student ID industry that is up and coming," said Vernol Robinson, director of SharkCard Services, in a statement to The Current. "Knowing that we would like to see student engagement increased on campus, especially with on-campus activities attendance, this is just a way to boost that up."

NSU's SharkCash acts as the bridge between the campus card and the new rewards program. SharkCash can be used in the same manner as a debit card, with students able to add money over time with no limitation. SharkCash can be used for on-campus printing, copying, on-campus vending machine purchases, and at designated off-campus locations.

SharkCash is the only campus tender accepted as part of the loyalty program, meal plan funds are not eligible. All reward points must also be redeemed by June 30, 2020.

Students, meanwhile, can use the loyalty program to redeem points for reward items like gift cards, movie vouchers, free oil changes, Amazon gift cards, and consumer electronics like Bluetooth speakers or headphones.

The point system in place for the SharkCard Rewards program offers prizes in four different point brackets ranging from 500 to 2,000 total points. As expected, the prizes increase in value alongside the number of total points accrued. The point totals, however, are designed so that students have to engage in campus activities over time to reach the more coveted rewards.

“We are expecting hurdles with this program and it will take some fine-tuning. We’re also not going to make it easy for students to rack up rewards so that everyone can just swipe and receive a reward," said Robinson. "Students are going to have to build up and engage on campus and possibly participate in attending a mix of games and increase their spending habits to build up points."

The University of Montana is bringing food trucks back to campus dining fold after a long hiatus, giving students a new late-night dining option. The trucks are making their return at the request of students and will start serving this month.

As reported by the Montana Kaimin, it's been almost two years since the University of Montana's own food truck suspended its regular service, but the new initiative will see the arrival three outside food truck concepts.

“Students have asked for the opportunity to have some late night food truck options,” said Byron Drake, interim director of Campus Dining. “We’ll probably have more as the weather warms up.”

The food trucks will serve the late-night student crowd, operating from 6:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. in an on-campus parking lot. Joining the food trucks in late night service will be The Corner Store, UM's on campus c-store, which will extend its closing time to 10:30 p.m. to serve students.

The three food trucks will operate in rotation with one truck operating each of Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. One of the food trucks has already expressed interest in expanding service to weekends or lunch hours if the demand is high enough, but historically these times haven't proven fruitful.

We would like to welcome Sonny's Original Cheesesteaks as the first food truck for late-night service on campus. Sonny's will be offering original cheesesteaks and other favorites in the Lommasson parking lot starting at 6PM. Happy accepting cash, debit, and credit cards. pic.twitter.com/BB543oEhW0

— UM Campus Dining (@umcampusdining) February 5, 2020

“Typically, there is not enough business for trucks during lunch hours on campus,” said Drake in a statement to the Montana Kaimin. “Saturday and Sunday night I don’t think would be great for them. But, if one of them wanted to try it, I wouldn’t say no to that.”

The University of Montana's food truck concept, the Galloping Griz, saw consistent success from 2014 to 2016, but a loss of $33,000 impacted UM Dining in the second half of 2017. After that, the truck cut back from daily service to special events the following spring, before closing permanently.

The new batch of food trucks will not accept meal plans or the campus card for payment. The vendors will instead pay a 10% cut of revenue to Montana Campus Dining.

All three food trucks will be on the University of Montana campus this week, and there are plans to add an ice cream truck in mid-April.

Attendance tracking solutions are growing in popularity in recent years and the trend has seen a number of new entries in the higher education space. Among the newer attendance solutions is a mobile app called SpotterEDU, which has added some 30 universities to its client list, including most recently the University of Missouri.

According to an official university release, Mizzou is conducting a pilot of the SpotterEDU app in approximately 20 courses this semester. Participation in the pilot is completely optional, and has been offered to fewer than 2% of the Mizzou student population.

If a student doesn't want to use the app to track their attendance, they will be required to check in with their professor using an alternate method, such as signing an attendance sheet. Students can select the means of attendance recording that they want, but in order to participate in automated attendance through SpotterEDU students must download the app.

SpotterEDU uses technology that allows faculty to collect reliable and non-invasive attendance records. The app’s beacons connect with students’ phones through Bluetooth technology. No GPS tracking is enabled, meaning the technology cannot locate the students once they leave class.

Mizzou academic administrators will be assessing whether the technology results in improved attendance, which previous studies have shown is the number one indicator of academic success. This is part of ongoing efforts at Mizzou to support student success.

The "iBeacons" that Spotter utilizes are small battery powered devices that emit a bluetooth signal. The beacons aren't connected to the internet and only broadcast a signal denoting which classroom the beacon is located in. The system sees each classroom equipped with a beacon whose signal reaches only to the permitter of that classroom.

The mobile app, meanwhile, is downloaded onto the student's phone and accesses their class schedule. The class schedule info then dictates which students the classroom beacons are told to look for and when to look for them. During a class, if a student comes in range of the beacon, their device communicates with the Spotter platform that they are present. If a student leaves the range of the beacon, the app communicates that they are absent.

SpotterEDU insists that the app only monitors the beacons in the classes in the students schedule, so if the student leaves, the system doesn't know their location.

The University of Florida is leveraging student volunteers in a secret shopper program to help evaluate and hone in its student-facing campus services. The program has been operation for some time now and is designed for secret shoppers to report feedback on their experiences in various university-run businesses.

According to a report from The Independent Florida Alligator, the secret shopper program at Florida is run through UF Business Services and has more than 100 student volunteers currently participating. UF Business Services hosts the program to ensure its operations on campus are continuously providing positive experiences.

The secret shopper program covers the four main operations under the UF Business Services umbrella: dining, bookstores, vending, and UF's card services operation, Gator 1 Central. The secret shoppers evaluate each operation based on core experience factors, including customer service, speed of service, cleanliness and overall satisfaction.

The program runs for one full semester, and carries a different time commitment depending on which business operation the secret shopper is assigned. Each of the secret shopper programs requires the student volunteers to fill out surveys designed to help campus administrators make adjustments where needed.

For the dining program, secret shoppers complete a survey after each meal at two university dining halls and a retail location. Each time the shopper completes one survey from each of the three dining locations, a phase is completed. Shoppers then repeat the process three more times over the course of the semester.

For the UF Bookstore program, the secret shopper survey has two phases. One survey asks questions about the student shopping experience, while the second survey asks about employee knowledge pertaining to textbooks and general apparel.

The secret shopper programs for vending and card services through Gator 1 Central are much shorter. The vending survey asks students about the purchasing experience, cleanliness of the area, and quality of the purchased product.

For the Gator 1 Central survey, shoppers request a new Gator 1 Card and describe their experience receiving a new student ID card. The same rubric applies again: customer service, speed of service, cleanliness and overall satisfaction.

While the secret shopper program is volunteer only, there is a payoff for participants. In Gator Dining that includes 12 free meals; eight from university-run dining locations and four from retail dining locations on campus. For the UF Bookstores program, participants receive a $20 gift card for the bookstore. And shoppers in the vending survey receive $40 to use in the campus vending machines.

Students participating in the Gator 1 Central survey receive a new Gator 1 Card for free along with a free meal of their choice from a campus dining location.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison recently partnered with Starship Technologies to enable students to place food orders to be delivered by the company's fleet of autonomous delivery robots. Now, university officials have successfully added the Wiscard, UW-Madison's student ID card as a form of payment with the service.

According to an official university release, students can use their Wiscard for food delivery purchases, and those living in residence halls can use their dining accounts to take advantage of discounted resident pricing. Each on-demand robot delivery order carries a delivery fee of $1.99.

University Housing Dining & Culinary Services has also expanded the footprint of the robot delivery service on-campus. The Starship robots now deliver to a broader area to the north and southeast of the Madison campus, in addition to the original delivery area which covered the central area of the campus and surrounding neighborhoods.

Students that want to place an order for robot delivery must first download the Starship Deliveries app, available for free on both iOS and Android devices. The robots at UW-Madison can then deliver orders from three university-run dining locations to designated delivery points set by the user via pins dropped on the map within the app.

Starship's arrival on the UW-Madison campus was first announced late last year, with payment via the university's campus card, the Wiscard slated for a later arrival. The Wiscard now joins standard debit and credit cards as accepted forms of payment.

A new SMS-based chatbot is attempting to use natural language processing and machine learning to proactively engage at-risk students and connect them with on-campus resources. The company behind the solution, EdSights, is an education technology firm focused on improving student retention and wellness in higher ed.

EdSights believes that its providing universities with a sustainable way to "hear the voices of students at scale" and uncover insights on areas that are hard to measure, like a student's sense of belonging. The company reports that its chatbot has already engaged with more than 50,000 students at universities nationwide.

The latest from EdSights is the announcement that the company's student retention solution is now available to any higher education institutions throughout the U.S. An SMS-based, machine-learning powered chatbot, EdSights gathers real-time insights into college students’ experiences to identify those that may be at-risk for dropping out.

The platform promises to present colleges and universities with data-backed solutions that offer a better opportunity for intervention with at-risk students. EdSights uses natural language understanding to converse with students about their college experience and identify appropriate on-campus resources if a student is struggling.

"We programmed the chatbot to ask very direct, personal questions to pinpoint the exact reason a student is at-risk for dropping out and promptly connect them with the appropriate on-campus resource, while providing institutions with valuable data," says Carolina Recchi, co-CEO of EdSights.

EdSights then sends a text message to students at different points throughout a semester, for example to ask how they’re feeling about their upcoming midterm or final exam, or how they're balancing their course load while working full-time. Depending on the student’s response, they may be directed to an advisor or a specific set of resources that can better address the specific challenge.

If a student response triggers a certain crisis threshold, an alert will also be sent to university administrators to engage and intervene with the student directly. Students are also able to reach out to the chatbot proactively with any questions or concerns when in need of guidance.

EdSights monitors the trends in reported student struggles and outcomes to share with the university through an administrative platform. The admin platform displays data in a user friendly dashboard with specific "next steps" to help universities improve retention and student wellness.

“Administrators are given access to a dashboard that clusters students based on common struggles and provides insights into risks and retention rates," says Recchi. "We then use this data to inform administrators how they can intervene, whether there is a student who requires a follow up in the future or immediate intervention based on trigger words and phrases.”

The roster of companies that have turned their attention to student retention and success -- an issue that virtually every campus grapples with -- grows larger seemingly by the day.

EdSights' approach contends that relying on readily available data alone, like grades and classroom attendance, to identify at-risk students is not effective. The company no longer sees these as the key indicators, but rather symptoms of a larger problem. Moreover, the company believes this old way of identifying at-risk students leaves the students themselves entirely out of the conversation.

“The U.S. is facing a college dropout crisis and higher education institutions are looking for solutions in all the wrong places. Most colleges and universities operate under the assumption that what you see in the classroom, grades, and attendance, are the ultimate deciding factor of at-risk students, but these are often lagging indicators," says Recchi. "There are a lot of micro-barriers that students can be facing, which are often the root of the problem but are tough to measure. EdSights establishes an open dialogue outside of the classroom to identify this important, non-cognitive data early on and at scale by proactively engaging students and getting to the root of their challenge."

Boston's Suffolk University has unveiled its first campus mobile app in the form of SU on the Go. The app will help students navigate life on campus pooling resources like class schedules, campus news, and directory information.

According to a report from The Suffolk Journal, the free to download app, first rolled out in mid-November, was developed by the university's Information Technology Services staff.

Suffolk University’s Associate Chief Information Officer, Fouad Yatim, said the app is centered around the day-to-day business of the university, providing access to resources that help students keep track of courses, grades and other academic information. Students can also view a campus map, staff directory, and important contact numbers including Academic Advising, the Financial Aid office and Residence Life.

An employee directory is also included in the app, making faculty members and their contact information easily obtainable. Phone numbers and addresses for the university’s Counseling, Health and Wellness Center and the Suffolk University Police Department, for both non-emergencies and emergencies, are also easy to access in the app.

From an academic standpoint, students are able to view the university's academic calendar as well as their current class schedule in a mobile-friendly format. With each course, users can see a description of the class, its meeting location, date, time and faculty information. Students can also view grades and information from past courses.

The app can also send users directions to their classes from their current location. Included in the map functionality is information to help users find Suffolk’s buildings and athletic fields, along with a list of campus events. From the app's map interface, students can see a bird’s eye view of Suffolk’s campus and the city’s surrounding buildings and businesses.

For Suffolk's substantial commuter population, Boston's MBTA public transit schedule is also included in the app complete with real-time alerts. The app also provides mobile-friendly interfaces for a number of pages on Suffolk University’s official website.