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Debate over campus banking partnerships hits Wisconsin

Monday, June 18, 2007

As reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, some universities in Wisconsin are getting heat from students that are not happy with their campus card banking programs. The article reports that at least two of the campus card accounts have higher overdraft fees than other area institutions.

Administrators from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh responded to the Sentinel article in the Fond du Lac Reporter, stating that “the story did not fully and clearly describe the nature of and reasons for such cards.” It states that U.S. Bank “competitively bid via the UW System procurement policies and practices” and “provides a highly efficient, effective way to deliver a sophisticated, all-in-one card service.”

“While recognizing that larger financial institutions typically offer a wider array of services and thus, may charge higher fees for some of those services,” the response continues, “we will use this opportunity to review the fee policies associated with offering our students the best services for the best value.”

Editor’s note: Perhaps we should also remember that overdrafting our account is not a practice to be accepted or condoned. It is bad financial management that we should educate against–rather than striving to make less painful. [end] 

Northern Michigan University has selected Wells Fargo as the new financial services provider for the Wildcat Express Card, the university’s official campus ID card.

Beginning this fall, NMU students and faculty will be able to link their Wildcat Express Cards to their Wells Fargo checking and savings account for ATM and PIN debit card access. NMU’s University Center will also be home to a new Wells Fargo banking location and ATM.

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PNC Bank has entered into a university banking relationship with Bowling Green State University, Ohio, to offer financial solutions for the university’s more than 24,000 students, faculty and staff.

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Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Lebanon has completed the first phase of a major project to issue students multi-functional student ID cards, according to a local news source.

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Infinite Campus Inc. announced the availability of Cafeteria Serve, a new point-of-sale food service option with an integrated online payment functionality. This new service, designed for cafeteria operations not requiring cash or complex menus, comes as part of the Campus Food Service license from Infinite Campus.

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Loyola University, Chicago, is offering more buying power for its students through the campus card program, allowing them for the first time to take the card off-campus at local dining establishments. The program will start small, focusing on a handful of restaurants.

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Students at UC Davis and California State University, Sacramento now have the ability to link their campus ID cards to US Bank and Wells Fargo, respectively, according to the Sacramento Bee.

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