Campus cards, the revenue and service balance
With more campuses looking at innovative ways to generate revenue from campus cards to offset the costs of providing convenience and service, Campus Technology Magazine looks at what the University of Vermont did. One solution: It helped nearby colleges get started with campus cards. UVM, the magazine reports, provided its sister institutions with consulting and expertise to set up their card programs, and then acted as an application host, relieving them of the responsibility of running their own servers.
More than ever before, campuses are finding imaginative ways to generate revenue from campus cards to offset the costs of providing convenience and service.
Ten years ago, students at the University of Vermont had to carry separate ID cards, meal cards, and athletic cards. Today, the single CATcard combines all of these functions, plus library privileges, an optional declining balance program called CAT$cratch, access to computer labs, use of vending machines without quarters, and even a ride on the campus or city buses. Still, UVM is one of many schools that have felt the need to explore whether a comprehensive campus card program is indeed a money-maker or an ongoing expense. Read complete story here. ![[end]](/resources/bullet/cr80news-4.gif)
