Campus ID News
Card, mobile credential, payment and security
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Tom Stiles, Executive Director, Identification Systems Group

We often hear that campuses have trouble getting students to remember their ID cards, but those same students would never forget their phone. Wristbands that contain proximity or contactless smart card technology have attracted attention for a similar reason – they are hard to forget. While perhaps not a viable replacement outright, this product can be a great supplement to the standard ID card.

You are familiar with the vast and varied reasons given by those claiming that ID cards are not convenient. They’re difficult to get out of a wallet, not practical when going for a run or visiting the fitness center, can be easily broken in or out of the wallet and easily lost. And we’ve all heard the stories about cards failing after being used to scrape ice off a windshield or going through the laundry.

I am not advocating replacement of the ID card. At the Identification Systems Group (ISG), I intently monitor the use of smart phones, biometrics and wearables, but I believe ID cards will be here for quite a while.

That being said, wristbands are convenient, and I can see why they are growing in popularity. For starters, they’re easy to locate and use, hard to misplace, easy to carry and difficult to break.

Applications

If you use proximity or contactless smart card technology, you can use a wearable ID anywhere a reader has been installed. Think about the benefits of speeding up processes, increasing throughput and adding convenience for door access control, dining, library, bookstore and fitness center use.

Issuing the wristband

The process to tie the wristband to cardholder data should be the same as when you issue a proximity or contactless smart card. The ID wristband number needs to be “read” into the enrollment screen and saved. The “reading” can be done with an inexpensive USB reader. This enrollment is typically done in the photo ID software  –  if there is integration with the other applications that need the number  –  or through separate enrollment processes. You may be thinking, “I already have the card number in the database.” But check with your door access control system and other applications, as most have a field for a secondary ID number.

Contactless smart cards

If you use contactless smart cards rather than proximity, you still use an ID wristband. This is because the same chip that resides in your smart card can also be embedded in a wristband. There are, however, some factors to look into. Does your current system read the Card Serial Number (CSN) or a secure sector or application on the card? Use of CSN makes things very easy. However, if secure sector or application is read, then you will need to coordinate the programming of the wristbands with the security key. Your Identification Systems Group dealer can help you with this, somewhat complex, task.

Branding and convenience

ID Wristbands can also be a branding opportunity for a campus, as they are available in various colors and support custom printing. It makes a lot of sense to customize the wristbands with your university’s color and logo because wearables can be a great tool for increasing brand recognition and school spirit.

Moreover, with the increased convenience you can offer to your cardholder base, wristbands can also be offered as a buy-in option. By charging a fee, the campus can cover costs or even make some profit. Flyers on campus, student competitions, giveaways or social media outreach can be great ways to spread the word about wearables, as well as explain their benefits, cost and uses.

Report lost or stolen

It may go without saying, but the wristband is another ID. For this reason, it needs to be treated as securely as the ID card itself and must be activated when issued and de-activated when lost or stolen. It is important that you stress to your cardholder base that they must report if a wristband is lost or stolen.

[pullquote]The wearable is another ID and needs to be treated as securely as the ID card itself. cardholders need to understand that it must be reported if lost or stolen.[/pullquote]

Charting a course to wearables

A great example of an ID wristband product is the UBand. It is manufactured by Brady People ID, an authorized manufacturer partner of the ISG.

Brady People ID works with dealers to provide UBands for access control, contactless payments and other applications on college campuses and a host of other markets. College students have been especially receptive to the wearable ID’s comfort and convenience, easing everyday tasks like paying for a meal or opening a dorm room door. Depending on the implementation, wristbands can even enable off-campus purchasing at merchants that are a part of a university’s off-campus program.

Your local ISG dealer can help you through the process of issuing ID wristbands or exploring other wearable options. If a wristband isn’t right for your environment, consider a key fob or sticky disc.

Your local ISG Dealer can not only provide pricing on the options, but they can provide the enrollment USB reader, validate your current card to assure you get the correct numbering format, provide samples for testing and provide overall guidance.

By Tom Stiles, Identification Systems Group

The task of re-issuing all or part of your campus population can seem daunting, but with proper planning it can be a breeze. How do you go about getting the project accomplished on time, accurately, and in budget? The following list includes considerations and suggestions based on the experience of the ISG and our member dealers.

Form a team

Have a team that includes the various stakeholders on your campus. This will include your office as well as IT, security, housing and other departments that utilize the card. This way you can all be on the same page at the start of the project.

Consider the costs

Cards, printer supplies, rental units or outsourcing charges, labor, and inter-departmental charges are all costs associated with a re-carding. Make a list of each cost area, and be sure there is agreement on the various departmental budgets that will be charged.

Scrub your database

An absolute must is an accurate database of cardholders. Does the database include all the fields of data needed for the new card? If not, how will you obtain the data? If you are issuing contactless or prox cards, how will the programmed card number be read and added to the database, and how will it be exported to relying systems like door access? If the database includes duplicate records, have it scrubbed to eliminate clutter.

Manage your photos

The ID card is a part of an overall security plan, and current photos help with visual identification. You may need to re-capture photos for all or part of your base to ensure you have updated, fresh photos and improve integrity if current photos are of poor quality or have inadequate centering and cropping.

If you want to capture new photos, do you have adequate capture stations, and how will you coordinate the flow of people? Online photo submission is an option. However, the time required to crop, center, save and approve may be similar to simply capturing a live photo.

Test cards

It is very important for test cards to be created, including all machine-readable technologies. These must be tested in the relevant systems to assure they work properly. Test cards also allow you to review the color, placement of fields, fonts and even card durability. Testing also should include the interface to the various other systems that need card data. Testing and quality control should continue throughout the project.

Pre-printed cards

If you presently use pre-printed card stock, now is the perfect time to consider if you should move to retransfer print technology. Retransfer printers provide pre-printed quality, less card waste (important for technology cards), and they don’t leave a “void” if you need to print over the area where the contactless chip is located. Retransfer printer supplies generally cost a bit more on a per-card basis, but so does preprinting. And, preprinting has other challenges like longer lead times, minimum orders and receipt of +/- 10% of what you ordered.

Supplies

If you plan to reprint the cards yourself, make sure you have more than enough supplies, such as ribbons, laminates, cards and printer cleaning kits.

Printing of new cards

There are three options for mass printing of the new cards.

Distribution of new cards, identity verification, card activation

Most campuses that re-issue require the cardholder to pick up the new card in-person and surrender their old card. An important part of the process is to verify the person is who they say they are. Some campuses ask for a state issued ID as verification. To prevent long lines, schedule pick ups based on groups over a period of time. For instance, freshman pick-up could be Tuesday from 9-5, but based on last name (9-Noon for names A-M, 1-5 p.m. for names N-Z).

There should be a process to activate the new card and de-activate the old card at the time it is picked up. There should not be a waiting period for the new card to be active, nor should you have two cards active for any person.

On-site service technician

If using your own equipment, consider contracting with your local ISG dealer to have a technician on-site during the project. This provides the assurance of a certified expert to help you through the process and service anything that breaks.

Ideas for Communications

It is important to communicate in advance with your students and staff about the re-issuance. Think of it as a marketing campaign. Communications can be through email, university websites, social media and more. Creating awareness is the key factor.

You can, for example, conduct a multi-step campaign and launch the card project. Start in the spring with a card design competition, and use social media and sporting events to create a buzz. During the summer, promote the card but don’t unveil it. Once August hits, make the big reveal with giveaways and swag as students pick up the new ID.

Provide an FAQ detailing the new cards and why they are being issued. Parents want to see important safety changes, so this guide educates students, staff and parents.

Mass (re) issuance is no small task, but with proper planning and the right team, you can make it straightforward and cost effective.

About the ISG

Identification Systems Group (ISG) is a nationwide network of local identification system integrators, providing high quality, cost effective solutions backed by local support and the strength of its Professional Services Certification program. Each company works together to provide seamless nationwide support.

By Jeanine Brooks, Director Action Card, The University of Alabama

How can Auxiliary Services professionals empower their card/transaction system management, champion the services and programs driven by these campus enterprise level systems and secure funding to support campus-wide programming? Campus card programs serve as part of your university’s branding strategy, as well as a trusted data source and access tool for campus services. The tool may change with the next technology iteration but your program’s mission remains the same  – streamline campus operations and enhance customer service.

How can you best drive administrative awareness and promote future funding for your operations?

For administrators program value is driven by enhanced customer service, stable operations, cross campus systems integration for consistent data sources, and strong problem solving for departmental or campus-wide solutions.

Driving Program Funding

Card/transaction systems vary by institution for funding solutions. There are fully institutionally funded operations, fully self-funded operations as well as others that are a blend with some services generating revenue and others funded from institutional sources. Below are strategies that can assist you in highlighting your program’s value to campus administration for funding requests.

Step one: Build your office and your brand

You need a unique department staffed by full-time employees dedicated to utilizing the power of these systems to bring solutions to campus. When transaction systems are lumped under another department name with only shared staff or part-time employees and student workers, you have limited your ability to brand the programs and services, limited administrative recognition for budgeting, limited the time employees can spend installing standard services, and limited employees ability to focus on important custom solutions that solve unique issues for your campus environment.

If internal departmental expertise is not available in your office structure, strong campus partnerships are critical for support expertise. At The University of Alabama, we have a formal, contracted relationship with OIT for full support, and they are a critical partner in our program development. They have also become a program champion, recognizing and communicating value to a wide base of campus contacts and administrators.

You also need a convenient office location with operational space, as well as a strong branded online presence. When you make the campus community dependent on the card program for basic daily services such as dining, door access, library check-out, campus event access, etc., your customers need to be able to find you and the information they need. When possible, self-managed access is beneficial, as today’s customers do not function on traditional business hours.

Establish clear mission and vision statements as your program foundation and post them online for your administrators and customers to view. When developing a program or service, identify the fit with your department, organization, and institutional mission and vision statements.

Step two: Get to work

Prove your program worth by providing a unique solution to a high profile issue. Examples at the University of Alabama include Online Photo Submittal and MyTickets, an online electronic ticketing system primarily used for student football tickets. Worth can be defined not only in dollars saved but enhanced customer service, improved efficiencies and secure operations.

Provide automated data and access tools for campus departments. Can your program help your institution manage growth? Can you provide critical usage data to departments and automate reporting? Can it be the tool to link multiple campus systems for an integrated service for customers?

Dave Falldien, senior systems administrator at Dalhousie State University

Let’s start with this tidbit: Within two years after Hurricane Andrew struck in 1992, 80% of the affected companies that lacked a business-continuity plan failed, according to FEMA.

The campus card system is an important and intricate part of campus life. It facilitates campus security, access control and payments. Thus, lost transactions or down time have a direct impact on the entire campus, whether it’s a student being locked out of a residence or lost sales at retail locations. These impacts are financial and affect overall trust in the system.

Disaster recovery is the misunderstood, undervalued ugly duckling of the card service industry. It’s a dirty little secret that IT folks keep wrapped up to shelter clients from the realization that something bad can, and likely will, happen.

Though seldom discussed, everyone in the IT field has stories of lost email, documents, or even entire systems. The key is not loss, but rather the recovery.

Devise a plan

There are three basic parts to any disaster recovery plan: 1) build a business impact analysis; 2) define the scope of your new disaster recovery plan, including recovery times and individual responsibilities; and 3) create a communication strategy that includes who should be informed in each different failure state and who is responsible for sending out communication.

Though it seems simple, it is surprising how few people, departments and campuses actually implement the process.

The business impact analysis often moves beyond the scope of IT and should be considered a required part of any successful operation. It doesn’t take long to realize that if a POS system is offline across campus, transactions are not being processed and sales is being lost. Not only are you losing the transactions, you are also paying idle staff. These costs add up quickly and have a direct impact on your bottom line.

As the person responsible for the financial side of the card system, you should be able to see your disaster recovery plan at any time. If the person who maintains your card system infrastructure does not reside in your department, you should have ongoing dialog including how the last disaster recovery test went.

Business impact is the easy part of any new disaster recovery plan. The meat of the plan is in the definition of scope. It is also the most difficult part of the plan, but the reward time well spent pays off rapidly in the event of an outage.

The scope section should clearly define the situations addressed by the disaster recovery plan. This should be a comprehensive list, including everything from natural disasters to server-level crashes, lost hardware and anything in between.

In simple terms, the scope includes everything you are going to include in your disaster recovery plan.

What about me?

Perhaps as important as knowing what’s in scope is knowing what lies outside of it. This tends to be the touchier subject.

The unfortunate truth for some users is that their immediate needs might not align with what the institution constitutes an emergency.

The best way to get a full list of what you would like covered is to conduct a business impact analysis as part of an overall risk assessment of the system. This is ultimately a simple and clear cut way to ensure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to what services will be covered.

By Scott Kachmarik, director of auxiliary services, University of Notre Dame

While it is easy for a campus card manager to insist upon the highest security cards and systems, the reality is that no campus can afford to max out every system across all auxiliaries. There is a balance that must occur when weighing system upgrades and investments, and card office managers are not always privy to these internal wranglings.

On an almost daily basis, Auxiliary Services directors are faced with difficult choices on projects and purchasing decisions. Many focus solely on the bottom line; how much is this going to cost? Others think through the myriad factors and issues that impact the decision-making and understand the need to balance cost with desired outcomes. Moreover, decisions hinge on predicting the future and positioning the decision to anticipate the latest trends and enhancements. So while the price was right on a truck load of mimeograph machines (for those not old enough to know what a mimeograph machine is, ask your parents and prepare for a trip down grade school memory lane), looking back on that decision does not seem like a wise investment any longer!

With the technology explosion of smart phones, mobile technology, electronic wallets and even smart watches, no industry is changing more rapidly – or unpredictably – than the campus card industry. Until recently, the campus ID card was simply your physical manifestation of having made it: you were now officially a member of alma mater. You proudly displayed it to family and friends during breaks and maybe on too-infrequent trips to the library. Of course, it was also carried because it was required by university policy on the oft chance encounter with a hall director or campus safety officer. In the end, it proclaimed your acceptance and official confirmation that you were a member of the community.

But today, the campus card has become so much more. It is the key to experiencing campus. As campus card programs continue to evolve, one thing is certain – they will require greater flexibility. On many campuses the card program is viewed as a service solution center. Questions of “how can we do this better?” more often than not lead to conversations involving the campus card. Responding with recommendations that leverage the technology to meet the need is the challenge, but it is also an opportunity to demonstrate the value of the card as a campus-wide asset.

[pullquote]Do not assume people understand the vulnerabilities that exist with less secure – and less expensive – technology and be prepared to explain the trade-offs[/pullquote]

Nevertheless, with this convenience comes responsibility and questions of security and compliance. Identity theft, fraud and consumer rights are now part of regular discussions in campus card offices across the country. Increased government interest, regulation and oversight continue to shift the landscape of how campus card offices respond. No longer is it simply the role of the card office to prevent identity theft and fraud, but now to even detect it while it is happening. As the credential replaces cash, keys and even the card itself, the burden of safety, security, disclosure and compliance must be balanced with customer service.

So when faced with the task of replacing campus card systems – hardware and software – it is important to evaluate your campus approach to finding that balance. As the saying goes, it is better to be on the cutting edge and not the “bleeding edge.” How many times have we made decisions that jumped to new, unproven and untested technology that simply was not yet ready?

In order to begin the process, it is important to consider key questions.

How secure is secure enough?

Cutting edge technology can be expensive and sometimes overkill on what a campus might need to keep data and card holders safe and secure. Bar code, mag stripe, prox, contactless and biometrics are all options that work and should be considered for credential use. Determine the campus risk and exposure and fit your plans to match your security and compliance needs. Do your best to become educated on the strengths and weaknesses of each technology so you are able to communicate the differences to campus decision-makers. Do not assume people understand the vulnerabilities that exist with less secure – and less expensive – technology and be prepared to explain the trade-offs.

How will the decisions you make impact the campus, and how will they impact other campus partners?

While important to mediate the demand for high security and compliance with cost, it is necessary to also consider long-standing partnerships and impacts on existing systems. Be sure to invest the time to identify, understand and acknowledge the “downstream” implications of system and hardware changes. Know that includes campus units, off-campus merchants and even other local institutions that collaborate across campus boundaries.

Does your decision take into account the scalability of the technology so that it can grow to meet future needs and technology enhancements?

Sometimes campus units operate in silos and get caught up in the trap of existing to serve their own needs. When making decisions to promote a campus one card program, it is imperative to have a campus-wide view that understands current practices, cultures and operations. Anticipating future needs and future enhancements creates strategic relationships rather than ones of convenience or tradition.

How do you build relationships with campus partners to make this a campus decision and not just a card office decision?

Changing a card system is easy; changing a culture to one accepting and embracing of a one card concept is difficult. Building relationships and preparing the campus for change will create buy-in that leads to successful outcomes and a safe, secure and compliant card environment that everyone understands and meets the needs of the entire campus.

In the end, changing a campus card system or technology to meet ever-changing security and compliance demands can be a quick and easy process that simply “locks” everything down and creates another silo. But the campus and campus card holders deserve better. Approach the decision-making process as the steward of a campus asset and promote the opportunities to partners who may not understand how they can benefit. Strategic leaders create a vision, partner with others, manage change, communicate, strive for success and celebrate achievement. Be the change necessary for your campus to provide a secure and compliant environment that balances cost and customer service.

By Ron Campbell, CEO, NACAS

As an Association Executive, I meet a number of business leaders who believe their products can enhance services, support student outcomes and even expand revenue opportunities. I have also witnessed numerous innovations that have forced college administrators to re-think solutions and business relationships.

These companies and their emerging products should not be overlooked because of their lack of market share, but rather they should be embraced. In 2014, I visited many NACAS member institutions that were celebrating these partnerships, which delivered technology to address their operational challenges.

The boundaries in 2015 will be defined by how far you are willing to creatively expand the use of technology for your organization or institution.

But how do we identify partners, technologies and services prudently?

I believe that industry associations can, and should, play a key role. We have a tremendous responsibility to seek opportunities that provide learning and exposure for our members.

Associations will be tested as they seek out partnerships that deliver information and share new knowledge to support their membership. We must encourage the crossing of lines, and show by example that our association landscape is not a battlefield for membership, but rather that our member institutions are a landscape to be shared with one common purpose in mind – student outcomes.

NACAS has taken on the challenge of innovation.

We have partnered with CR80News in a very unique way to provide information to our membership. This information is critical to the work that our members are responsible for as it relates to campus services, campus identity and campus cards.

We are also collaborating with key business partners to host educational programs on campuses and extending a free invite to all who are willing to learn.

Finally, we are seeking out partnerships with other associations that allow our members the opportunity look at their institutional landscape with colleagues where mutual cooperation is plays a central role.

I am excited about 2015 and I look forward to learning more from our friends at CR80News and the spotlight that they shine on our institutions and business partners. In future issues, this column will allow our Auxiliary Service leaders to share ideas about how the student ID extends throughout the campus enterprise and across auxiliaries. Here’s to a great year filled with new ideas and innovations. 

Tom Stiles, executive director, Identification Systems Group

When it comes to the maintenance and support of your ID card system, you have a couple of choices. You can have the system maintained by your local expert dealer or do it yourself using the manufacturer’s 800-number and depot maintenance program.

Over the years, ID card printers have become more reliable with a lower average cost. This commoditization is typical in the lifecycle of product technology and offers an advantage when it comes to choice and cost savings. These choices include the purchase of a backup card printer and service of the printer using a depot program.

Your ID card system is an investment and is an important part of a university’s overall identification and security program. It’s much more than just a card printer; it’s a system of many components that need to work together, as well as with other campus systems. In addition, a campus card administrator and their staff’s time is valuable, and working on a down card printer may not the best use of resources.

Questions You Should Be Asking

Several factors should be considered when making a decision on how to support a university ID card system. A card administrator should ask the following key questions:

Your Staff

Do you or your staff have the time to stay on top of all of the details required to keep the system in peak condition? Are you or your staff technically able to handle the ongoing updates, upgrades, cleaning and changes? What is that internal cost, and how much productivity is lost?

IT Department

I occasionally hear that the IT department handles maintenance and service. The “mysterious” IT department can be a catch-all for support, and they are generally overburdened. It is rare that IT staff has the knowledge to work on a device that has mechanical operations. If they do, will they have the time to perform scheduled routine maintenance? If responsibility is transferred to campus IT, are there internal charges for the service?

Costs

Do you have the time to wait for a replacement printer to arrive? If not, do you have a backup printer or two? What is the cost of an on-site service agreement that includes all preventative maintenance, and how does this compare to a depot agreement? If you obtain an on-site agreement, could you leverage that to negotiate a lower price on cards and printer supplies?

Real Life Scenarios

Let’s walk through two possible scenarios to show the differences between on-site service and a depot arrangement.

Scenario #1 – Depot Service

There’s a problem with your printer, you call the 800-number and spend some time troubleshooting the issue.

It may not be apparent if the issue is with the card printer, software, camera or printer supplies. In this scenario, you would need to retrieve the original packing box – that you would have had to save –  unload the printer of its cards and ribbon because the ribbon may have personal data on it, pack the printer in the box and arrange to ship it.

Jeremy Earles, credentials business leader, Allegion

Earles_headshotBy 2020, the student ID card probably won’t be a card at all. Like other forms of technology, the nature of credentials changes at an ever-increasing rate. The traditional brass key gave way to the magnetic stripe card and then quickly to low-frequency technology. Moving into smart cards has provided extra security with just as much convenience as the previous technologies, and some cards now include biometric protection for added security.

The next step, a result of the rapid growth of smartphone technology, combines the extra security of a smart card with the convenience of a device you already carry with you. Students may forget their keys or cards but are almost never without their phones. Smartphones have begun to replace cards for many types of transactions, including individual loyalty cards such as Starbucks and broader based applications such as Apple Pay. Smartphone-activated electronic access control devices already are available, and the format is evolving quickly.

It now appears that Near Field Communication (NFC) is the technology most likely to emerge as the standard for ID, transactions and access control. What happens in the retail world will affect student ID direction through the acceptance and popularity of a format. The addition of NFC capabilities by major manufacturers makes smartphones a practical and growing solution for access control as well as identification. Samsung has had an NFC antenna in its phones ever since launching the Galaxy S3 about two years ago. Allegion tested pilot programs using NFC for access control devices at about the same time and since then has launched that technology into the Android and iPhone markets. While the latest iPhone 6 design incorporates an NFC antenna, it does not yet allow functionality outside of Apple Pay, though many companies are hopeful to have access to that technology in the future to provide a broader range of NFC features.

NFC holds the lead today, since it works with a large population of existing readers already in the field, but other technologies such as Bluetooth are also available. As evidenced by current trends, change is occurring quickly, so another new technology that nobody has yet heard of could emerge suddenly and take over everything. As of now, however, NFC holds the most promise. Two years ago it was unknown that NFC would be so well accepted, but with the recent adoption of mobile payments on popular devices, it has become the leading contender. A major deciding factor in what finally emerges will be the availability of readers and other devices in the field that can accept a credential. No matter how many technologies there are, they will have to work together to be of value.

Changing ID credentials from cards to smartphones won’t occur overnight. There is likely to be a period of transition, with some people still using cards and others using smartphones. By 2020, and maybe long before, smartphone and tablet apps should be universally accepted for ID and access control. Already, your identity is tied more than ever to your phone, yet it is more secure than a card, which can be stolen or lost and used by someone else. The addition of screen lock, passwords or biometric security on the device – like the thumbprint reader on the new iPhone – adds extra levels of security.

Of course, the credential is only half of the access control and transaction loop. A reader must be compatible with the technology to receive the communication and execute the action. Many retailers such as Starbucks are accepting payment by either card or smartphone app. When it comes to access control, some manufacturers already have readers and other devices that are NFC capable. For example, Allegion’s multi-technology readers will work with either smart cards or NFC devices. Readers such as these are future-proof in the sense that they are already installed and ready.

In the end, it may be a hybrid world for some time, with several different technologies operating in harmony, rather than just a single credential. A student or staff member may access NFC readers for ID and transactions on campus but use Bluetooth at home. These and other technologies can coexist on a single mobile device.

ID cards are likely to be around for years to come, but before long, they and the information they carry are almost certain to be embedded in a mobile electronic device, whether a smartphone, a tablet or another device still to be invented.

About the AVISIAN Publishing Expert Panel

At the close of each year, AVISIAN Publishing’s editorial team selects a group of key leaders from various sectors of the market to serve as Expert Panelists. Individuals are asked to share their unique insight into different aspects of the campus card market. During the months of December and January, these panelist’s predictions are published at CR80News.

Angelo Faenza, general manager, PERSONA, senior director campus electronic access control security solutions, ASSA ABLOY Door Security Solutions

Angelo Faenza, Assa Abloy

The student ID card is as universal a part of college life as textbooks, laptops and cramming for exams. On most college campuses students use their card to get into their residence hall, buy meals, take out a library book and gain access to other areas and activities. However, like anything else about college life, the campus card is evolving, and so are the access control products associated with it.

Mag stripe has been the predominant technology for the campus card for many years, and rightly so for a number of reasons: they work well, they’re affordable, and they’re interoperable with banking and retail systems. Because of these benefits, almost every transaction on campus can be conducted using a mag stripe card.

The vast majority of campuses still use mag stripe card technology, but more and more are migrating to smart card credentials. Many universities are also investigating or implementing mobile access. Should you be doing so as well? Can this be done cost-effectively?

Reasons for getting smart

Making the move to smart card technology offers a variety of advantages. Smart cards are more secure – they offer layers of protection that are not easily duplicated or counterfeited.

A smart card, by virtue of its integrated chip, provides more space, or memory, for additional functions. For this reason, smart cards can have multi-function capabilities that go beyond just opening doors and paying for goods and services. For example, smart cards can be used to track student attendance, provide access to transportation services or even track and monitor what a student buys at the cafeteria to help maintain a healthy diet.

Another advantage of smart card technology is that it’s highly scalable, providing a pathway for additional functions to be added over time. New systems can be readily put in place. For example, maybe your campus is looking at implementing or upgrading a parking management or transportation system. Smart card technology could provide a ready solution.

Banks, public transportation systems and other institutions are already beginning to transition to smart card technology for these very reasons. As this transition occurs, students will increasingly expect a smart card experience throughout their daily lives on campus. Making the move to smart card locks, readers, systems and software may seem like a major undertaking that would require a large upfront investment and significant changes across campus. However, many systems as well as the user experience can remain the same.

Because smart cards can be programmed with the same information as the mag stripe card, many systems will only need something as simple as a reader upgrade to begin the transition. Upfront planning with your smart card vendor can save you a great deal of time and expense in the move to smart cards by programming the same information on the new cards. This allows campus systems to remain largely unchanged.

Students would still be able to use their smart card to access dorms and other areas, and to pay for goods and services on campus. A simple reader upgrade in vending machines will keep snackers happy.

Security personnel, meanwhile, would still have audit trail capabilities and know who opened a door and when. So for convenience, simplicity of credentials management, and perhaps above all, familiarity, you’d still have a single card platform that would work for everything students need.

Where do you start?

For those responsible for campus security, the decision to upgrade is a big one. But it’s made easier by an important, practical consideration: locks are available that can read both mag stripe cards and smart cards.

Multi-technology locks allow colleges and universities to transition their cardholder population to smart cards over time to reduce upfront costs and simplify management. These locks can be deployed prior to the decision to move to smart cards, as they work seamlessly with your existing mag stripe cards.

Once the decision is made to migrate the campus to smart cards, the university can begin issuing new smart cards to the incoming freshman class while the existing population continues to use their mag stripe cards. Over the period of four or five years, the entire campus will have transitioned seamlessly to smart cards without a large initial investment.

The same principle applies for campuses that have mixed credential technologies. Multi-technology locks allow campuses to consolidate to a single smart credential as budget allows. Or in many cases, campuses may wish to transition their students and faculty over to smart cards, while continuing to use mag stripe cards for summer conferences or other cost-sensitive programs.

Multi-technology locks also provide the flexibility to support emerging technologies such as mobile access. A mobile access platform can replace keys or cards in university environments across a variety of locations, including residence halls. Additionally, since students will rarely part with their phones, the technology offers an added layer of security. This means students and staff must use their own credential and can only gain access to the areas for which they are authorized.

Every campus is unique and while no one-size-fits-all solution exists, smart card technology opens up exciting new possibilities for improving the implementation and effectiveness of campus security.

About the AVISIAN Publishing Expert Panel

At the close of each year, AVISIAN Publishing’s editorial team selects a group of key leaders from various sectors of the market to serve as Expert Panelists. Individuals are asked to share their unique insight into different aspects of the campus card market. During the months of December and January, these panelist’s predictions are published at CR80News.

CardSmith_EMILEmil Bonaduce, Vice President, Corporate Development, CardSmith

The burgeoning use of mobile everything. That’s the trend. So evident is the mobile trend that you would have to be Rip Van Winkle to not notice.

Smart phone growth and usage is the biggest thing since, well, sliced bread. In fact, it’s engulfing entire economies. Samsung is producing double the volume of smartphones as compared to the incredible iPhone, and now represents 20% of the gross domestic product of South Korea. Can 50% be that far away?

The heaviest users of mobile services are young people, millennials, and most importantly, students. But what is driving this monstrous growth? App automation. Drudgery relief. The quest for cool. The desire for constant communication and instant gratification. Apparently, the human desire for these things is insatiable.

Before we speculate on how the power of this “trend” will contribute to the betterment of the collective college student experience, we need to take a look at where we’ve been, in terms of apps:

The Camera, Gallery, Email, Gmail, Maps, Navigation (amazing utilities); Pandora, Spotify (music); Candy Crush, Angry Birds, Words With Friends, Plants vs. Zombies (gaming); Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Instagram, Snapchat, Vine (social); ESPN, Yahoo (sports); Kindle, Reader, Amazon (reading and shopping); Flipboard, Feedly, NYTimes (news); Starbucks, Yelp, Dominos (dining); Uber (limo rides); and Paypal, Wallet, ISIS, Dwolla, Coinbase (payments).

So, what exciting developments can we look forward to in our industry in 2014? Well to start off, don’t expect the plastic ID card in your wallet to disappear. Like Mark Twain’s remark about the rumors of his death, the early demise of the student ID card – and its replacement by the smart phone – is greatly exaggerated. The expansion of the traditional plastic card to include RFID and NFC will continue. Many are aware of Disney’s experimentation with wristbands for hotel keys, ride scheduling and dining payments. The rate of change here is gradual. In mobile realm, however, it may be explosive.

The biggest trend for 2014 in the mobile arena will no doubt involve payments, things “around” payments, and the multitude of smartphone payment methods. Vending will drive NFC although the clock is ticking and the jury is still out as to whether this technology will succeed as competing technologies emerge.

Remember Videotex? Of course, you don’t. It was supposed to deliver news, sports, entertainment, dining, etc. via a set-top box in the 1980’s. It just never went anywhere, and the broadband Internet and now smartphone apps satisfied this consumer desire. Let’s hope NFC is not the next Videotex. How about offline smartcards? They were the next big things in the ‘90’s. Today, not so much.

The simplest and most successful mobile payment app today is the one offered by Starbucks. Tap a few times, generate and scan a barcode, and voila, your latte is handed to you. The simple genius here is that the app works on virtually all phones at all stores. No swapping out merchant hardware or convincing consumers to change hardware; it’s ubiquitous and frictionless. Google Wallet, PayPal, ISIS and other apps are growing as well. These apps and the growing number of apps for pizza delivery, takeout and other dining establishments will drive mobile payments in 2014.

In our business, mobile payments and applications will accelerate where they make transactions faster and easier – where they add value. For example, checking your phone to avoid busy dining halls or laundry machines, or pre-ordering and pre-paying for lunch. How could student pre-ordering by phone for pick up between classes not expand enormously? This is just the tip of the iceberg. We predict that 2014 will be the year where applications like these really take off.

Another mobility-enabled trend will involve ticketless entry and privilege verification. Here again, the mobile phone is the key. Do we know you? Do you have a seat for this concert? Did you pay for your pool access? Today this problem is often solved with paper tickets, scanning personnel, and in many cases guard radio calls. Imagine how nice it will be to use your smart phone to book tickets AND verify identity and validate privileges. It can be an end-to-end solution; the student pays for a ticket or privilege from a phone app and the cashier or security staff verifies that privilege from a companion app on a phone or tablet. No paper, no waiting, no swiping.

The third trend that will likely grow legs in the New Year is geolocation technology. We see a world where low-energy Bluetooth devices will be deployed in arenas, stores, labs and dining halls to notify your registered smartphone with loyalty offers, sales, discounts and so forth. Reading, especially for ads and coupons, has been a dying activity, and geolocation notification may drive the dagger in the heart of sale searching. The sales will look for you! That’s real value added from mobile. Expect more of it in 2014 and beyond.

About the AVISIAN Publishing Expert Panel

At the close of each year, AVISIAN Publishing’s editorial team selects a group of key leaders from various sectors of the ID technology market to serve as Expert Panelists. Each individual is asked to share his or her unique insight into what lies ahead. During the month of January, these panelist’s predictions are published at CR80News and SecureIDNews.

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The only publication dedicated to the use of campus cards, mobile credentials, identity and security technology in the education market. CampusIDNews – formerly CR80News – has served more than 6,500 subscribers for more than two decades.
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