Card, mobile credential, payment and security
In this episode of CampusIDNews Chats, Dave Borsheim, Director of Functional Support for Campus Services at Northern Arizona University discusses the institution's journey to mobile credentials. He shares how a campus-wide modernization effort improved security, streamlined operations, and led to remarkable student adoption.
The move to mobile credentials began with a practical challenge. NAU needed to replace aging door readers and wanted greater control over campus security. By implementing mobile credentials, the university gained real-time visibility and control over door access. This allowed administrators to manage permissions more efficiently and strengthen overall campus security.
Launching the mobile credential program required extensive collaboration among internal and external stakeholders. Teams across IT, facilities, access control, and the card office worked alongside TouchNet, HID, Apple, and Modo Lab to bring the project to life. Borsheim credits strong project management and clearly defined responsibilities as key factors in the successful implementation.
Everything that our JacksCard does is available with the mobile credential. That changed the game in terms of access – not only to buildings but also to services – and has made the experience seamless.
As the first TouchNet client to deploy Apple mobile credentials, Northern Arizona University has achieved an impressive 98% adoption rate among eligible students. According to Borsheim, the remaining non-users are primarily limited by device compatibility issues.
The mobile transition has also improved troubleshooting and support.
By leveraging data from credential provisioning systems, access control platforms, and device information, staff can quickly identify and resolve issues. Combined with single sign-on and two-factor authentication, the mobile credential program delivers both convenience and security for the campus community.
To watch the full interview, click the image at the top of the page.
TRANSCRIPT:
Northern Arizona University wanted to go mobile because we faced aging door readers. We knew we needed to replace those, and we wanted to increase the level of security that we had on campus.
Going mobile definitely allowed us to do that, and we've been able to keep tight controls on door access and really have real-time control over who has access to which doors, at which times.
Going mobile at Northern Arizona University was a large effort that took all types of stakeholders, including TouchNet, HID, Apple, and Modo Lab, which is our campus app provider.
Internal teams such as ITS, our access control teams, our facilities teams, and even card office teams.
I think really, it's just following project management best practices. And that's really what was done. TouchNet does a really good job of assigning the right resources at the right time from their side. We also did the same thing.
I think we had a lot of great partners when we went mobile. I'd say that TouchNet, in terms of project management, does a really great job there. Their customer portal had our project being tracked and monitored. We were able to use the portal for any new documentation that we needed for cases.
It was really just a big, coordinated effort across those many different teams.
Since then, we've achieved at least a 98% adoption rate among students who have a mobile credential. The portion that has not adopted is due to technical constraints, such as phones that are not NFC-capable or devices with older operating systems that don't support the functionality.
It's really convenient and seamless. The feedback that we received is, "I already have my ID. It's on my phone. I don't need to carry additional IDs or multiple cards for different purposes."
Everything that our JacksCard touches on campus is available and accessible with the mobile credential.
That really changed the game in terms of access, not only to buildings but also to services, and has made the experience seamless.
We have two-factor authentication through the Duo application on our campus. Along with signing in through our single sign-on system, users receive a push notification that they must accept in order to authenticate.
One of the main insights we've gained in the JacksCard office is around troubleshooting issues. We want students, faculty, and staff to be able to obtain their mobile credential without any interaction from our card office or central IT.
When that doesn't happen, we're able to assist much more quickly because we can leverage data from a variety of sources to identify the problem. We can review provisioning data from HID, check our access control system to see if it's an access assignment issue, and look at device and operating system information to determine whether an older phone or outdated software is causing the problem.
It allows us to rapidly resolve issues.
We do have two-factor authentication through the Duo application on our campus. Along with signing in through our single sign-on system, users receive a push notification that they must accept in order to authenticate.
To obtain a credential, users must authenticate and go through a process that validates requirements and confirms eligibility. Two-factor authentication is definitely part of that process.
When it comes to using the credential in real time to make a purchase or access a door, there are different settings that can be configured to either require authentication or allow the mobile credential to be used without it. It really depends on the configuration.
I think TouchNet does a really good job of assigning the right resources and the right number of people for a project. I've been on other projects where only a few people were assigned to a monumental task, but for our mobile implementation we had the right people from TouchNet, HID, Apple, and our own team. We had the subject matter expertise we needed to get the job done.
College campuses across the country are facing a growing sustainability challenge as takeout containers and disposable packaging become a permanent part of student life. An article in Bridge Michigan, says that while many of these habits emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic, university officials say they’ve continued long after dining halls fully reopened.
Students increasingly rely on grab-and-go meals, mobile ordering platforms, and food delivery services. This has created a culture of convenience that generates more waste and complicates recycling efforts.
At Michigan State University, campus waste dropped significantly during pandemic shutdowns but rebounded sharply as students returned. It has continued to rise with current volume at or above the levels immediately preceding the pandemic.
Surveys show students generally support reusable containers, but only when they are as convenient as disposable alternatives.
Sustainability leaders say the widespread use of single-use containers has made waste management more difficult because packaging materials are constantly changing, forcing recycling programs to adapt.
Despite these challenges, universities continue to invest in waste reduction initiatives. At the University of Michigan, waste audits revealed that takeout food packaging accounts for a large portion of trash in student-heavy spaces such as libraries. In response, the university has expanded composting options, launched zero-waste event programs and introduced reusable takeout container systems in dining halls.
The institution has also set ambitious sustainability goals, including increasing its waste diversion rate from the current 35% to 50% by 2030.
Officials stress, however, that sustainability programs must align with student expectations. Surveys show students generally support reusable containers, but only when they are as convenient as disposable alternatives. This reality has prompted discussions about a citywide reusable container system within the Ann Arbor community.
While technology and infrastructure are important, sustainability leaders say behavior remains the greatest challenge. Reusable container programs have shown promise at universities nationwide, but their success depends on consistent student participation and convenient return systems.
As students continue to prioritize convenience, colleges need to design sustainability programs around modern dining habits rather than trying to restore pre-pandemic behaviors.
Financial limitations add another layer of complexity. Reusable programs require staffing, equipment and ongoing management, resources that are often limited.
As students continue to prioritize convenience, colleges need to design sustainability programs around modern dining habits rather than trying to restore pre-pandemic behaviors. The goal must be to make environmentally responsible choices as easy and accessible as possible.
Many campus card offices struggle with the same challenge: getting large numbers of students through orientation without creating long lines and bottlenecks. Stephen Courchane, Director of the U Card Office at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, explains how his office tackled the issue. They did it by partnering with the orientation office to make photo submission a required step for orientation registration.
The team knew that increasing pre-arrival photo uploads was key to streamlining card issuance. They went through multiple iterations, ultimately requiring students to submit the photo before they could sign up for an orientation date.
The results were significant. Photo submission rates increased from roughly 50-60% to more than 80%. During the most recent period, 95% of students received their preprinted U Card during orientation check-in rather than waiting in long lines at the card office.
Our office used to have hour-long lines during orientation. Now we're busy from 8 to 10 a.m. handing cards out at check-in, but the rest of the day is quiet.
The improvements extended beyond operational efficiency. With permanent credentials in hand, students could access residence halls, meals, and classroom buildings during orientation without the need for temporary cards. That familiarity also helps students return in the fall already knowing how and where to use their credential.
Courchane's advice to peers is simple: identify campus partners that can tie photo submission to an existing student requirement, remain patient, and continue building support over time. Small process improvements and strong cross-department collaboration can ultimately transform both operations and the student experience.
To learn more about how they did it, watch the full interview by clicking on the image at the top of the page.
TRANSCRIPT:
I think we've faced the challenge that a lot of people have, which is figuring out how to get students through the card line without having long lines and long wait times.
For years, we have just been trying to think about how we can optimize that. We've talked to partners at NACCU as well as other schools and organizations that have had luck with that. One of the big things that we've heard from them is getting 100% of students to upload their photo ahead of time makes a big difference.
We've struggled with figuring out how do we get all of our students to upload their photo before they actually come for orientation. Talking to partners like Scott Brennan from Temple University and learning that they were requiring the photo upload step within their process for getting signed up on campus really helped.
We had this opportunity with the orientation office to make it a requirement that students upload their photos before they could sign up for an orientation date. By locking students into actually having to complete that step to move forward, we were able to increase the number of people uploading a photo ahead of time. This made it much easier for us to have cards ready to go at orientation.
We were able to eliminate having a line of people at our office. Instead, students go in one line. They get in line to check in for orientation, they get their U Card, and then they leave. It's a much more seamless experience for them and for us.
We built integrations with our systems so that if a student already has a photo in our system, they can skip that step entirely. They don't even see the step to upload their photo.
Specifically, what we did was we partnered with the orientation office to have them include a link to the photo upload site as a requirement. In the first year that we did that, students simply had to click the link to move on, but it didn't really require that they actually take the action once they clicked it.
This last year, we were able to make it so that students have to click the link and submit their photo before it unlocks the next step in the orientation checklist. That took us from maybe 70% of students completing the process to closer to 80% of students getting it done.
They also were able to create some integrations with our systems so that if a student already has a photo in our system, they can skip that step entirely. They don't even see the step to upload their photo. If they don't already have a photo in our system, they get locked into having to complete that step before they move on.
Now when orientation arrives, we've already preprinted the cards. We grab all those cards for that day and orientation session, hand those cards out to each student as they come through check-in, and then away they go.
The primary partnership was with the orientation office. They got a new director a few years ago, and when she came in, she asked, “Is there not a better way to do this?” We said, “We'd love to talk to you about that.”
Additionally, we've worked really closely with the conference and event services group out of the housing department because they're closely tied into orientation, summer conferences, meal access, and residence hall access.
There are other benefits to increasing the photo upload percentage and getting U Cards into students' hands before orientation. Students can immediately use their U Card to access meals, residence halls, and classroom buildings. Instead of carrying multiple cards and being confused about which one to use, students arrive, receive their U Card, use it throughout orientation, and then return in the fall already familiar with it.
Before linking our photo upload process with other departments, we were seeing maybe 50% to 60% of students upload a photo ahead of time. We spent a lot of time trying to get students to upload photos during orientation so we could issue cards before they left.
During the first couple weeks of orientation last summer, close to 95% of students were able to receive their U Card at or before orientation began.
Now we're seeing upwards of 80% of students upload their photo ahead of time. During the first couple weeks of orientation last summer, close to 95% of students were able to receive their U Card at or before orientation began.
Our office used to have hour-long lines during peak orientation season, and now we really don't see any lines. We're busy from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. handing cards out at check-in, and then the rest of the day is very quiet.
My primary advice is to seek out departmental partners on your campus who can help connect photo uploads to a required student process. If you can find that partner, you'll make significant progress in getting students to complete the process before they arrive on campus.
Other than that, be patient and wait for opportunities. It took us years to get to this point. We kept looking for partners, implementing small improvements each year, making requirements a little firmer, and demonstrating the benefits to other campus departments. That increased buy-in and helped further streamline the student experience.
On July 14-15, the New York University Kimmel Center will be the location for this year's ColorID Identity Summit. The event agenda explores the latest in identity management, mobile identity, and advanced credential technologies.
Ideal attendees include professionals from higher education, healthcare, enterprise, and other vertical markets who are responsible for identity and credentialing at their institutions.
The event is designed to spotlight real-world experiences and provide practical insight into how organizations are approaching their identity journeys.
“We designed the Summit to explore the full spectrum of identity technologies, including physical credentials, mobile credentials, biometrics, and the platforms that bring them together,” says Mark Degan, VP of Marketing at ColorID.
Moreover, he notes that every organization is at a different stage in its identity journey. So rather than promoting a single technology, they wanted to help attendees understand how these technologies can coexist and evolve over time.
According to ColorID, space is limited so register now.
The event agenda includes presentations from end users actively navigating credential modernization initiatives, along with leaders from the identity and security industry.
Sessions will focus on identity strategy, operational best practices, mobile credentials, security technologies, and future planning. Additional discussions will cover approaches organizations are using to help fund modernization and migration initiatives.
According to ColorID, this is not a tradeshow or product pitch.
“It is designed to spotlight real-world experiences and practical insight into how organizations are approaching these transitions today and what is next in their identity journeys,” says Degan.
NYU was a natural choice for this year's Identity Summit, because they represent the type of identity transformation many organizations are working toward.
Additionally, there is no charge for event registration. The site – the NYU Kimmel Center for University Life – is located in Manhattan in the heart of the NYU campus.
"NYU was a natural choice for this year's Identity Summit, because they represent the type of identity transformation many organizations are working toward,” says Degan. “Since 2019, NYU has worked closely with ColorID to implement solutions that are more streamlined, efficient, scalable, and future-focused. Their willingness to share both the successes and lessons learned from that journey provides attendees with practical insights that can be applied within their own organizations."
Hear directly from organizations that actively working to modernize identity within their organization. Learn what worked, what they would do differently, and what comes next. Sessions include:
Register Now
One way higher ed institutions are remaining agile amongst constant change in the industry is to focus on future proofing. With campus IDs sitting at the intersection of technology and operations, colleges and universities have a unique opportunity to make immediate improvements to these systems and leave a lasting impact.
Campus ID technology can either be an “on-prem” system or a “hosted” system. On-prem is when ID technology is stored on campus servers and managed by the institution’s IT department. If the technology is stored in the cloud and managed by the campus ID technology provider, that system is referred to as hosted.
Hosted systems typically offer long‑term financial savings, reduced operational burden, and increased flexibility — all important elements when future proofing an institution.
While many campuses still operate their campus ID system on‑prem, the industry is steadily moving toward hosted solutions. Hosted systems typically offer long‑term financial savings, reduced operational burden, and increased flexibility — all important elements when future proofing an institution.
If your college or university is evaluating whether to remain on‑prem or move to hosted, now is an ideal time to reexamine the true costs and benefits.
For decades, on‑prem campus ID systems were the default. Let’s explore a few reasons why.
While these reasons were logical at the time, modern advancements have disrupted the on-prem ecosystem. Understanding the hidden costs of on-prem helps reveal why these systems struggle to scale and be truly future proof.
Although on‑prem solutions may be less expensive upfront, they often come with expenses that accumulate over time.
When looking to the future, these cumulative expenses often outweigh the initial savings of staying on‑prem.
Hosted campus ID systems eliminate a significant portion of the ongoing expenses associated with on‑prem, while also preparing your college or university for the future. Below are some specific benefits of a hosted campus ID system.
Hosted campus ID systems present a financially sound, operationally efficient, and future‑ready alternative to on‑prem environments.
When evaluating the full lifecycle, most institutions find the long‑term financial outcome favors hosted systems, even if the migration requires an upfront investment. Hosted systems also allow for more flexibility, giving you the opportunity to add new features as your institution grows and technology advances.
If you’re looking to make the move to a hosted campus ID system, it’s important to research your options and choose the right provider. A provider with an expansive partner ecosystem, clear security and compliance frameworks, a documented migration process, and ongoing customer support is essential.
First, consider all of the transactions that your campus IDs facilitate and permissions they grant. A provider with a large, established network of partners will be more likely to facilitate all these transactions. If there are functionalities the provider can’t support directly, chances are they have a partner they integrate with to support your needs.
A hosted campus ID system offers secure infrastructure, encryption, monitoring, and audit-ready environments, which are essential for protecting sensitive data.
Since campus IDs store and transmit a vast amount of sensitive data, it is critical that your technology provider has the proper security and compliance frameworks to keep your students’ personal information and payment data protected. Going hosted is more secure because it provides a dedicated and isolated environment for campus systems, reducing the risk of data breaches and security incidents. A hosted campus ID system offers secure infrastructure, encryption, monitoring, and audit-ready environments, which are essential for protecting sensitive data. Additionally, hosting services often have experienced teams and resources to manage security risks and ensure compliance with industry standards like PCI DSS and SOC 2.
Finally, a provider that has a documented migration process with ongoing customer support will ensure the transition from on-prem to hosted is a success. It is important that the implementation team has a thorough understanding of what migration entails, including an estimated timeline. Once migration is complete, the right provider will offer continued support through regular check-ins and be available to answer any questions.
Hosted campus ID systems present a financially sound, operationally efficient, and future‑ready alternative to on‑prem environments.
Your campus ID technology provider is more than just a vendor. They should be a partner, working alongside your campus to improve operations, boost student success, and prepare for whatever changes the future may hold.
If change is the only constant, it’s important that your institution future proofs to ensure the continued success of your college or university. Hosted campus ID systems present a financially sound, operationally efficient, and future‑ready alternative to on‑prem environments. Although the upfront investment can feel daunting, the long‑term benefits, reduced maintenance, improved flexibility, and predictable budgeting can make the transition a strategic move.
The institutions that begin planning now will be best positioned to control their timelines, manage costs, and deliver the dependable, flexible experience students expect. Stay ahead of the curve — strategize with your team and see how TouchNet can help you go hosted.
In this episode of CampusIDNews Chats, George Davey, Partnerships Director at Grubhub Campus, discusses how the company’s campus dining platform is designed around partnership, flexibility, and convenience for both institutions and students. The company now partners with more than 400 campuses nationwide and continues expanding its capabilities in 2026, with improvements to offline functionality and enhanced data integrations for campus partners.
He says they focus heavily on listening to customer feedback and working collaboratively with colleges and universities to improve the dining experience. That approach extends across support services, customer success management, and product development. The goal is to create a smoother and more connected experience for campus administrators, dining teams, and end users alike.
The platform enables students, faculty, and staff to connect campus payment methods directly within the Grubhub app, including declining balance accounts, meal swipes, and meal equivalencies. Users can then order from participating campus dining locations while skipping traditional lines. Because the system is powered by the broader Grubhub marketplace, students can continue using the same app experience off campus or while traveling during breaks.
Students can add their student tender, declining balance, meal swipes or meal equivalency, and then order from their favorite merchants on campus while skipping the line.
Davey also highlights Grubhub’s wide-ranging technology ecosystem, including kiosk solutions, POS hardware, kitchen display systems, robot delivery partnerships, reusable container initiatives, lockers, and frictionless technologies.
TRANSCRIPT:
My name is George Davey. I'm the Partnerships Director at Grubhub Campus. At Grubhub Campus, we take a partnership approach to everything that we're doing.
Whether that's our support function, whether that's our best-in-class CSMs, or the products we're delivering, we're always listening to the voice of our customer to make sure that we enhance the experience on college campuses for our partners, and also for the end users.
The Grubhub platform allows students, faculty and staff to affiliate with their campus. They can add their student tender, declining balance, meal swipes or meal equivalency, and then they're able to order from their favorite merchants on campus while skipping the line.
Because we're powered by Grubhub, we have access to hundreds of thousands of restaurants in the marketplace as well. So, when students are perhaps visiting home or it's spring break, they're able to jump into the same app they use on campus and order from their favorite merchants off campus as well.
Some recent exciting developments is further enhancing our offline mode across our kiosks, POS and KDSs. This will continue to improve our platform stability.
Grubhub has what we call our Ultimate Solution, which provides hardware to a front of house staff through our POS and also for customers with our kiosk solution. We also have KDS's (Kitchen Display Systems), so orders are easily seen and you can pick up your order when it's ready.
Grubhub currently partners with over 400 campuses across the United States, and we're continuing to grow in 2026. As well as our campus partnerships, we also have partnerships with ancillary providers such as robot delivery, frictionless technology, reusable containers, and lockers.
Some recent exciting developments is further enhancing our offline mode across our kiosks, POS and KDSs. This will continue to improve our platform stability.
Moreover, we understand the importance of data, so we've enhanced our outgoing data feeds to our partners while also working on projects where we can actually ingest your data and publish it to our front end.
To find out more, please visit grubhub.com/about/campus.
Last year’s tragic shooting at Florida State University, which killed two and injured five, has led to a wave of legal action against technology giant OpenAI.
The first lawsuit was filed on May 10 in Florida’s northern federal district court by the family of Tiru Chabba, a 45-year-old husband and father of two who worked for Aramark Collegiate Hospitality. He was on campus in his role as a vendor when he was killed in the student dining hall.
“He used to call when he traveled to work…to wish each of his kids a good day, say that he loved them, and to tell them that good things were going to happen to them that day,” Greenville attorney Jim Bannister said during a news conference.
The lawsuit alleges he asked what time and location would maximize victims on campus, leading him to the dining hall.
The other man killed was 57-year-old Robert Morales – husband, father, and longtime dining director at FSU.
In addition to his years working at FSU, Morales also served as the special teams coach for a local high school football program. “He was a trusted coach, a respected colleague, and a cherished friend to many,” the school wrote on its website, describing him as having a “true passion for mentoring young athletes.”
According to the lawsuit, ChatGPT helped the suspected shooter plan the attack. It says the AI platform provided information on what type of gun and ammunition to use, even advising him that “the Glock has no safety,” so he should “keep his finger off the trigger until he was ready to shoot.”
The lawsuit alleges he asked ChatGPT what time and location would maximize victims on campus, leading him to the dining hall.
In ChatGPT logs released by Florida law enforcement, the shooter allegedly asked specific questions about the number of fatalities it would require to make national news, and on the day of the shooting, he received information on the legal process of sentencing and incarceration.
In this day and age, teenagers use ChatGPT as their personal life coach. Those aren’t my words. Those are the words of the CEO of OpenAI.
“OpenAI knew this would happen. It’s happened before and it was only a matter of time before it happened again,” Vandana Joshi, Chabba’s wife, said in a statement.
OpenAI has denied any wrongdoing, and a statement from spokesman Drew Pusateri reads, “ChatGPT provided factual responses to questions with information that could be found broadly across public sources on the internet, and it did not encourage or promote illegal or harmful activity.”
Attorneys for Chabba’s family disagree, and the lawsuit alleges negligence, gross negligence, product liability, and negligent entrustment.
“In this day and age, teenagers use ChatGPT as their personal life coach. Those aren’t my words. Those are the words of the CEO of OpenAI,” said attorney Gregorio Francis of Osborne, Francis, and Pettis in a news conference.
OpenAI’s legal troubles don’t end there. In late May, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed suit, alleging the AI firm and CEO Sam Altman promoted a product they knew could harm users.
Florida is the first state to sue OpenAI and Altman over their product design, including ChatGPT. This filing is separate from the criminal investigation into OpenAI Uthmeier announced previously, and he has said that investigation will continue during the civil suit.
If ChatGPT were a person, it would be facing charges for murder.
Uthmeier’s suit takes aim at the platform design, an approach which has already led to victories over Meta and Google in both California and New Mexico.
The family of the other victim, Robert Morales, has said they also plan to file their own lawsuit against ChatGPT and OpenAI.
The legal outcomes will set precedent for how AI is defined in our lives: a search engine, a confidante, a conspirator. When announcing the launch of his criminal investigation, AG Uthmeier said, “If ChatGPT were a person, it would be facing charges for murder.”
Each year at the NACCU Annual Conference, a series of awards are presented to individuals and institutions for innovation and dedication to the profession. At the 2026 Annual Conference in Covington, Kentucky, three institutions and five individuals were recognized. Congratulations to all the winners and nominees.
The University of Utah has earned the NACCU 2026 Best Video Award, recognizing outstanding use of video to promote campus card programs and related technologies. HID’s Amy Surprenant presented the honor to Bryon Buchmiller, Director of the Ucard program. Chosen by popular vote among NACCU members, the winning video creatively showcased the advantages of mobile credentials while humorously highlighting the inconveniences of physical cards. To check out this extraordinary marketing piece that combines education and humor, click the image at the top of this page.
Georgia Institute of Technology is the recipient of the NACCU 2026 Best Card Design Award, recognizing excellence in the visual appearance of a campus card. The award was presented by Jennifer McNeill of TouchNet, and it was accepted by Jennifer Rocke of Georgia Tech’s BuzzCard office on behalf of the institution. Selected by popular vote of the NACCU members, the award celebrates card designs with strong visual impact, creativity, and institutional representation. NACCU praised Georgia Tech for its innovative design and highlighted the creativity and passion consistently displayed across the campus card community.
Xavier University is the winner of the NACCU 2026 Innovative Technology Award for its creative approach to addressing campus food insecurity. The award recognizes institutions that develop innovative technology solutions supporting campus card services. Michelle Dietz, Assistant Director of Auxiliary Services, accepted the award from Josh Bodnar, Ohio State University and NACCU President.
Xavier’s solution leverages the institution’s existing meal plan and transaction system to enable anonymous meal donations and requests through the university’s mobile app. Students with unused meal swipes can donate them, while students facing food insecurity can request assistance discreetly. When a donated meal becomes available, it is automatically added to the recipient’s mobile credential and they receive a notification.
The program removes barriers and stigma often associated with food assistance while promoting student belonging, engagement, and retention. It also helps reduce food waste and maximizes existing campus resources.
CoCo Dean, OneCard Specialist at the University of California, Irvine, is the recipient of the NACCU 2026 New Professional Award. The award, presented by SECANDA’s CSO Sebastien Dayer, recognizes emerging professionals with five or fewer years in the campus card industry who have made significant contributions to their institutions, the profession, and NACCU.
Dean was honored for her leadership and commitment to building community within the industry. Though relatively new to the industry, she has been actively involved in NACCU through programs such as the Industry Essentials Institute and the Data Summit, chaired the Engagement Committee, and presented at conferences and webinars. Her student-centered approach and dedication to collaboration have made a lasting impact on both NACCU and UC Irvine.
Emily Dieker, Director of the GWorld Program at George Washington University, is the recipient of the NACCU 2026 Outstanding Volunteer Award. The honor recognizes exemplary volunteer service, leadership, and commitment to the NACCU community.
Entrust's Julie Beckius presented the award to Dieker for nearly a decade of contributions to the association. She has been a frequent presenter at NACCU conferences, webinars, and round tables, while also supporting conference operations, facilitating networking groups, and contributing blog posts.
Perhaps her most impactful role is as a faculty member for NACCU’s Standards and Guidelines (SAGs) program. In that role, she has mentored and encouraged professionals across multiple cohorts, helping shape the future of the industry.
Cassie Bruner, Director of Cougar Card Services at the University of Houston, has been honored with the NACCU 2026 Campus Card Champion Award. Introduced in 2025, the award recognizes professionals who advance campus card programs through advocacy, collaboration, and strategic leadership. It was presented by Allegion's Jeff Kozior.
Bruner was recognized for transforming Houston's ID card into a strategic campus asset. By partnering with departments across campus, she has improved card distribution processes, expanded attendance and event tracking capabilities, and generated valuable data to support student success initiatives. She has also played a key role in the university’s transition to mobile credentials, helping ensure the campus ID remains innovative and relevant.
David Anthony, Executive Director of Finance and Chief Business Officer for Student Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin, is the recipient of the NACCU 2026 Distinguished Service Award. Illumia's Rachael Sepcic presented the award that recognizes individuals who have advanced the campus credential industry through leadership, innovation, and active involvement in NACCU.
Among his many contributions to the association, Anthony was recognized for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping NACCU navigate financial and operational challenges and positioning the organization for long-term stability. Known for making complex financial concepts accessible and actionable, he has played a key role in supporting NACCU’s strategic decision-making. He is a former board member and current chair of the association’s Investment Committee.
Janet Rauhe, Director of Phoenix Card Services at Elon University, is honored with the NACCU J. Paul Melanson Award, one of the association’s highest recognitions. Named for one of the organization’s founders, the award celebrates individuals whose leadership and innovation have helped shape both the campus card industry and the association.
Atrium's Sami Takieddine presented the award to A NACCU member for nearly 30 years, Rauhe was recognized for her exceptional service, leadership, and commitment to helping others succeed. Throughout her career, she has contributed to NACCU through committee work, mentoring, conference support, and service on the Board of Directors, including two terms as Board President during a critical period of transition.
At Elon University, Rauhe built Phoenix Card Services from its initial implementation into a comprehensive campus credential program, supporting thousands of users and a broad network of campus and community partners.
In this episode of CampusIDNews Chats, Audra Forsberg discusses a growing challenge facing campus card offices – fraud risks created by misplaced trust and weak internal controls. While trust is necessary in any organization, Forsberg emphasizes that trust without oversight can create opportunities for both internal and external fraud.
Forsberg shares examples of internal fraud that can happen in campus card environments, including unauthorized access changes, printing cards for friends, and adding funds to personal or outside accounts. External threats can also emerge through stolen credit cards used to fund guest cards, creating difficulties in tracing transactions.
A major theme throughout the discussion is that many issues arise not from malicious intent alone, but from weak processes and a lack of accountability. Training, written policies, and clearly documented procedures help staff understand what is allowed and what crosses the line. Managers also need to pay attention to employee pressures and warning signs that may indicate risk.
If people don't know policies and procedures, they don't know what is and isn't allowed. One common response when fraud is investigated is, "I didn't know I couldn't do this."
Forsberg stresses the importance of practical safeguards such as daily and monthly reconciliations, activity reporting, and requiring multiple people to review financial transactions. She also highlights the importance of leadership setting the right example through ethical behavior and policy compliance.
TRANSCRIPT:
I'm going to say this out first, trust but verify.
We're seeing card office fraud because people are overly trusted in their positions. Card administrators are not verifying that they're doing the work or making sure people are not taking advantage of the system. Ways people can take advantage of the system include adding access onto a card, printing out a card, and giving it to a friend for access into a residence hall room.
They may also have access to stored value accounts for student, faculty, and staff transactions and add money to their own account or a friend's account. Some external fraud includes credit card fraud. Someone might buy a guest card from a machine and use a stolen credit card to add money to it, making it difficult to track who used those funds.
Card office fraud can be common if organizations don't have internal controls in place.
One important control is training. If people don't know policies and procedures, they don't know what is and isn't allowed. One common response when fraud is investigated is, "I didn't know I couldn't do this."
Managers also need to recognize pressures people may be under. Students may experience financial stress, and there can be red flags managers miss.
Opportunity is often the biggest factor. Organizations can create opportunities for fraud by over-trusting people and failing to run daily or monthly reconciliations.
Another important control is tone at the top. Leaders should set an example by following policies and procedures themselves and not misusing resources.
Opportunity is often the biggest factor. Organizations can create opportunities for fraud by over-trusting people and failing to run daily or monthly reconciliations. Reports should track who granted card access, printed cards, added money to accounts, or changed meal plans.
These systems and reports should either be automatically delivered or consistently reviewed. Sometimes people become too busy and overlook them.
Written policies and procedures are critical. Organizations should define how transactions should be processed and when access should or should not be granted.
Reporting is also essential, particularly for financial transactions. Even when business managers are involved, trusted individuals still require oversight.
For financial transactions, a second person should always verify deposits. This not only prevents fraud but also catches mistakes and errors.
Resources are available through the NACCU Vault, which provides sample policies, procedures, manuals, and onboarding guidance. Universities also have their own ethics guidelines and policies related to financial transactions and access control.
The biggest takeaway is trust but verify.
Internal audit teams can provide ethics and fraud training. Universities also provide anonymous reporting systems so employees can safely report concerns without fear of retaliation.
Atrium Campus and the Identification Systems Group (ISG) announced a new partnership that will enable ISG member companies to promote Atrium’s cloud-native campus credential solutions in higher education and other market verticals.
ISG is a North American network of identification, security, and identity-management solution providers that has served customers for more than 40 years. Initially an association of photo identification system dealers, ISG was created to help organizations access high-quality ID card printers, supplies, and expertise at competitive prices. Today, member companies deliver a full range of identification and security solutions to sectors including education, government, healthcare, hospitality, and more.
ISG is recognized for its extensive regional distribution network. Their dealer network will expand our reach by connecting us with institutions who are not current Atrium clients.
Currently, 26 ISG member companies are spread across the U.S. and Canada, each serving a dedicated geographic region. In addition to product sales, members provide local installation, technical support, and consulting.
Manufacturers and solution providers of both hardware and software are vetted at the organization level, and approved products become part of the dealer offerings.
The latest partnership will enable ISG’s local sales and service network to offer the Atrium platform to new and existing customers. According to a joint announcement, together, they aim to help higher education, corporate campuses, and residential communities … transition from legacy hardware to flexible, mobile-centric systems.
“This partnership allows our members to offer the most innovative cloud-based card management technology available today,” says Brian Swistak, Executive Director of the ISG. “Through our agreement with Atrium Campus, our nationwide network of member dealers can now deliver a seamlessly integrated, high-engagement experience for all our clients.”
“Atrium was built to free institutions from legacy proprietary campus card systems,” says Sami Takieddine, Director of Partnerships at Atrium Campus. “Through our partnership with ISG, clients gain access to leading physical security solutions and local expertise, ensuring a seamless and secure transition to cloud native, agnostic, mobile-first solutions.”
CampusIDNews spoke with Sami Takieddine, Director of Partnerships at Atrium Campus, to learn more about the new partnership. Here’s what he had to say.
“ISG is recognized for its operational excellence, extensive regional distribution network, and long-standing enterprise client relationships. Their dealer network will expand our reach by connecting us with institutions who are not current Atrium clients. We believe ISG will want to refer Atrium to their accounts just as we will want to refer our clients to ISG dealers. This will act as a catalyst for mutual growth.
One of our core principles is a “one size fits one” philosophy — taking the time to understand each client’s unique needs before recommending the right solutions or providers. ISG shares this customer-first mindset.
Additionally, while Atrium’s client base has traditionally been concentrated in higher education, we’ve been actively expanding into sectors such as healthcare, corporate dining, and the government/military. Partnering with ISG will accelerate this growth, as many of their dealers operate across a wide range of industries and verticals.
Legacy OneCard providers typically lock clients into to their card issuance and access control ecosystems, which limits flexibility and increases costs. At Atrium, we believe clients are best served by having access to a range of best-of-breed solutions and partners.
One of our core principles is a “one size fits one” philosophy — taking the time to understand each client’s unique needs before recommending the right solutions or providers. Because ISG shares this customer-first mindset, we believe this partnership is a natural fit that will deliver meaningful value to both Atrium and ISG member clients.”
