A collaboration between Higher One and HID Global has led to development of a campus card that includes both proximity access control and a debit MasterCard. Unveiled at NACCU, the new card can monitor access to dorm rooms and campus buildings while also being used to buy books, meals, clothing and more both on- and off-campus. 

By Ryan Kline, Contributing Editor

The use of biometrics for identification and authentication is taking hold throughout the country and in our schools.

Way back in 1972, far before many people were even thinking of using biometrics in conjunction with daily authentication, the University of Georgia began using biometrics in their dining halls. The campus had decided to simplify their mealplan offerings—from a ticket-based program to an enrollment program—and they needed a way to accurately identify paid customers The same goal of simplification remains a core motivator when colleges, universities, and K-12 schools decide to use biometrics in their facilities. 

Support for the iCLASS® contactless technology from HID is expected to be available (Q2 2007) in the SmartCity® smart card offering from SmartCentric Technologies. According to SmartCentric, this will include cashless purchases at POS, vending machines, laundry, printers, and dining as well as both logical access and physical access. The SmartCity platform is used by college and university campuses, military bases, shopping malls, and other environments. 

Hiram College tasked its foodservice provider Sodexho with finding a replacement to the school’s outdated campus card system. The group chose the Microsoft® Windows®-based Odyssey PCS offering from CBORD. “The user interface makes it easy for different areas of the school to interact with the system efficiently,” says the campus’ dining GM, Jack Cahill. “This includes the business office, where people can make deposits to their accounts, as well as the safety office. If a card is lost or stolen, the user interface helps us issue a new card immediately, complete with a new card number.” 

SmartCentric has been selected to develop the next generation of Bill Pay and Phone Top up (Etopup) applications for the Irish Postal Service’s retail network PostPoint. PostPoint allows customers to pay their utility bills at their retail outlets and also top up mobile phones. 

Sweet Briar College near Lynchburg, VA, has extended its CardSmith’s transaction management contract through the 2011-2012 academic year. The college’s campus card allows students, staff and faculty to access pre-paid dining and flexible spending accounts and serves as a library and identification card. In addition, the card is also accepted off-campus at area CVS pharmacies. 

This spring, students at New Mexico State University will be able to add a Visa debit card option and Wells Fargo bank account to their campus ID. Via RFP, the school selected Wells Fargo to provide financial services to the Aggie Access Card program.