Dalhousie University has given its DalCard a facelift as part of the institution's bicentennial celebrations. The new design reflects both the creative platform of the upcoming 200th anniversary celebrations and the goals and growth of the Dalhousie community.

The DalCard is the official ID card for faculty, staff and students at Dalhousie, and serves as a debit card, library card, print, transit and laundry card, as well as physical access to campus buildings. The redesign is the result of a collaboration between Ancillary Services, which manages DalCard, and Communications and Marketing (Design Services).

“The rising sun in the anniversary logo mark reflects how we want to celebrate inspiration and achievement, but also aspiration and our collective goals,” says Luke Smith, the card design creator. “The ‘daybreak’ of Dalhousie’s third century gives us opportunity to pause and think all that we as an institution have achieved together, and ponder how we can continue to do better by building on the energy, excitement and ambition that drives us to do our best each and every day.”

The card redesign will also do away with the variable card designs that were previously used to delineate between various cardholder types -- faculty, staff and students. The new design will be consistent across the entire Dalhousie community, as well across both the university's Halifax and Truro campuses.

“The new DalCard reflects an effort towards greater consistency amongst the entire Dalhousie population,” says Kate Somers, manager of DalCard business operations. “It also unifies our card design as we move forward into the 200-year celebrations."

The new card design began its issuance earlier this month, and will be “limited edition” design until its retirement in December 2018. Until that point, all new Dalhousie students and staff will receive the bicentennial design. Replacement DalCards, or cards for those who want the special edition design, will need to purchase one at a cost of $15.

Per the DalCard website, the last card redesign occurred some 10 years ago the image on the face of our DalCard has been updated. The total run time for the new card design will July 2017 through December 2018, during which all new DalCards issued will feature the 200th anniversary design.

The features and functions of the DalCard will remain unchanged. DalCards with the former design will continue to work and be accepted as normal.