Grand Rapids Community College has upgraded its RaiderCard, going contactless for a wide range of on-campus transactions.

The changeover officially began December 17, with all students and employees now required to have the new, contactless RaiderCard as part of the college's ongoing commitment to campus safety. Students' first contactless RaiderCard is free, with any subsequent replacement cards carrying a $10 fee.

The new contactless credentials will be used for point-of-sale transactions on campus, cash-to-card machines, vending machines, printing, and door access in select locations. Additional use of the RaiderCard is supported for:

• Checking in to access tutoring and computer labs across campus
• Accessing the campus rec center
• Checking out books and other resources in the library
• Paying to park in college lots
• Making purchases at select on-campus dining locations.

Additional security upgrades now enable campus administrators to electronically control and monitor all exterior doors on campus. In addition to the upgraded credentials, the college has implemented a number of card system upgrades as well, including:

• Money deposits into student accounts via StudentLink web portal
• Privileged access to RaiderCard account for parents, relatives, friends, or spouses to directly deposit funds into student accounts
• Low-balance warnings
• Automatic deposits from student bank accounts.

Aesthetic changes to the new contactless RaiderCards also make the cards easier to read, with added space for longer student names to now be printed in full.