Ohio’s Miami University has taken the decision to go cashless for all payments on its Oxford campus this fall in an effort to limit the passing of plastic cards and cash tender between students and cashiers. Alongside card system vendor, CBORD, the university is leveraging the GET app for payment and mobile ordering, as well as its contactless campus card to create a secure, convenient and potentially healthier transaction experience.

Oklahoma State University has created its own contact tracing system that leverages the university Wi-Fi network and the student ID card. The contact tracing measures are being utilized to proactively reach out to students who may have come into contact or been exposed to individuals that have tested positive for COVID-19.

A group of colleges and universities are turning to a new, automated temperature screening technology that leverages facial recognition biometrics to ensure facility access for students who pass a daily health check. The combination biometric system is called PopEntry+ and a few institutions see potential for it to help ensure a safer return to campus life amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Mexico State University is deploying new campus vending machine on its Las Cruces campus this fall that dispense face masks and other safety supplies designed to reduce the spread of COVID-19. The new vending machines are the result of a joint effort between the university and industrial and safety supplies reseller, Fastenal.

A survey conducted by HID Global and security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions provider, Genetec, has revealed that many college campuses could be operating with outdated access control systems. Moreover, the report suggests that many universities are eager to move on from these legacy access control systems and implement newer, more secure technologies.

Allegion’s Jeff Koziol details the new Mobile Credential project at the University of Tennessee, delves into the benefits of a mobile student ID, and how the need for them now is even more apparent. Hear how mobile credentials enable remote distribution to cut the number of students picking up replacement cards in person, as well as how transactions and secure access can occur without students needing to swipe or hand over a physical card.

The University of Miami has outlined its plans for on-campus dining this fall, including a new mobile reservation system via CBORD’s GET app, and density monitors located outside dining facilities to display current occupancy numbers. Miami’s dining halls reopened food service to students, faculty, and staff on August 9, incorporating new foot traffic signage, floor decals, and plexiglass barriers to encourage physical distancing.