News > September 9, 2004

By Dee Dee Dolan

Contributing Reporter

The university has implemented a new Deacon OneCard policy this year, allowing residential students one free replacement each year for lost and stolen cards.

The policy change came through an effort between Student Government and Residence Life and Housing, who said they wanted to reward residential students because they use the card the most. The policy does not apply to non-residential students.

“That’s a perk of living in on-campus housing,” said Connie Carson, the director of Residence Life and Housing.

According to the new policy, the first time the card is lost, stolen or broken, the university covers the $25 cost of a new card. After that, students must pay $35 to $55, depending on how often the card has been replaced.

The charge to replace the card is not only to cover administrative costs, but also “to deter students from being careless with the card,” Carson said.

Carson said it takes about five minutes to replace the card, and students can even retake their identification picture. The previous card’s balance is transferred to the new card.

Carson said she hopes that the ease and cost of replacing the card will bring more students to replace their cards right away.

“Someone else could use it and access residence halls,” Carson said. “It’s a safety issue as much as anything.”

Freshman Amanda Pasquale said she was excited about the new policy, especially because she said she recently lost her card.

“I couldn’t get into my dorm,” Pasquale said. “I had to chase a guy to let me into the dorm.”

She said she liked the new policy because it is not only easy to replace the cards, but there is less fear when a card is missing or broken because the replacement is free.

Still, Pasquale said she felt that $55 is a “a little expensive for just a card … it’s good it caps off.”

Students use the Deacon OneCard as university identification, as well as to enter university buildings and to check out books at the library. They can also hold a cash balance to pay for food, books, clothes, office supplies and other items at university dining halls and stores.

Nkinja Lane, an employee of ARAMARK, said that broken cards cause problems for them every day, especially during busy lunch and dinner hours.

“Sometimes they’re taped together, sometimes they’ve only got the black stripe,” Lane said.

“They should give them (students) new cards, especially some who’ve been here longer.  Their cards are just no good.”