CR80News Spring 2016 by AVISIAN

TRACKING ATTENDANCE WITH CAMPUS CARDS

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CR80News ID TECHNOLOGIES IN EDUCATION SPRING 2016 - ISSUE 22

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CONTENTS

CONTENTS 4 Editorial:The power of presence Can attendance yield more engaged students? 6 ID Shorts News and posts from CR80News.com 12 Automating student attendance tracking with campus cards Higher ed awakening to link between attendance, engagement and success

RECARDING THE BEARCATS

20 End of an era as long-time NACCU exec retires Mobile devices accepting campus cash catching on 24 East Tennessee State pioneers next-gen campus mailroom Automation, mobile app reduces footprint and improves student service

29 Ole Miss increases dorm security, efficiency Student ID bridges access control and housing management systems 30 Employing Millennials in card offices and auxiliary services 32 Vending marries open loop and campus card payments Maximizing tender options key to upping overall sales 36 Recarding the Bearcats 45,000 pre-printed contactless cards with transit tie-in issued at University of Cincinnati 38 Five steps to upgrading residence hall physical security

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS 2

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25 Card Exchange Solutions www.cardexchangesolutions.com

19 CBORD www.cbord.com/community

11 ColorID www.ColorID.com

39 Entrust Datacard www.datacard.com/CR80

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40 Evolis www.evolis.com

27 Heartland www.1card.com

15 Identification Systems Group www.IdentificationSystemsGroup.com

33 MyPhoto www.studentidphoto.com

35 NACAS www.caspcert.org

23 NACCU www.naccu.org/2016

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AUTOMATING STUDENT ATTENDANCE TRACKING WITH CAMPUS CARDS

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ABOUT

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CR80News EXECUTIVE EDITOR & PUBLISHER Chris Corum, chris@AVISIAN.com EDITOR Zack Martin, zack@AVISIAN.com ASSOCIATE EDITOR Andrew Hudson, andrew@AVISIAN.com CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Liset Cruz, Autumn Cafiero Giusti, Gina Jordan ART DIRECTOR Ryan Kline ADVERTISING SALES Chris Corum, chris@AVISIAN.com Sales Department, advertise@AVISIAN.com

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The power of presence Can attendance yield more engaged students? ANDREW HUDSON, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, AVISIAN PUBLICATIONS

Presence can be a powerful thing. In this issue, we dive into the importance of student attendance in higher ed and explore ways universities are using ID card systems to manage its tracking and reporting. As I interviewed for the story, I asked a simple question: “Why is attendance important at the collegiate level?” While responses were each different, there was a common theme – student presence carries a dual meaning. Reporting to a classroom is important for academic success, but physical presence is not enough. There’s another type of presence that is equally crucial to success. It requires a bit more context and some reading between lines, but in the long run it too is crucial to the success of both students and universities. Presence of mind is paramount to a student’s experience on campus – both academically and socially. Put another way, a perfect attendance record doesn’t do much good if you’re napping in the back row. It’s reasonable to assume that students who report to classes daily are, by simple osmosis, exposed to campus activities they would otherwise have missed. Taken a small step further, students could potentially be more inclined to participate in said parts of university life. Physical presence may be the immediate requirement for campuses to report on, and comply with, financial aid regulations, and attendance tracking applications are great at automating these processes. But presence of mind – something harder to track – is crucial for student retention and engagement. It too, however, is seemingly boosted by physical attendance. This is the aspect of automated attendance solutions that perhaps holds the most intriguing promise. These systems could, through their primary goal of enforcing class attendance, actually create a more engaged student population. Retention, participation and matriculation could be ancillary benefits. Pressuring a newly enrolled freshman to attend scheduled classes may help in many ways – from grades and graduation to event participation, auxiliary service utilization and even alumni donations. This increased engagement doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. The very act of tracking attendance quietly suggests to students that the institution values the physical act of attending class. Engaged students are more likely to interact with the campus card system, be it grabbing a meal at a dining hall or simply hitting a vending machine between classes – and that’s a very good thing. Moreover, being engaged can be a contagious. Of course, automated attendance is but one piece of the puzzle. The tangible benefits are there in the form of academic performance, student retention and financial aid compliance. But the bigger picture is how best to ignite student engagement and the duality of presence – both body and mind. That’s what higher ed is all about.

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ID SHORTS HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WEB

OLE MISS CRACKS DOWN ON ID TICKET SHARING A single home football game at Ole Miss can see hundreds of students transferring their tickets. It’s a common practice for which the university has provided a secure transfer system. Not all ticket transfers are allowed, however, and for good reason. Some students are skirting the official transfer method and are instead loaning

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their campus cards to others for stadium access. Ole Miss Athletics has delivered student tickets to student IDs since 2010, but the ability to transfer tickets between valid student IDs is a new feature this year. A new online website enables students to transfer their ticket to another valid student ID, though each ID can only hold one ticket per game. University police have been cracking down on ID ticket sharing, and any Ole Miss students that opt to loan their cam-

pus card to another person for stadium entry do so at the risk of card confiscation. Moreover, the ticket buyer, will be refused entrance. The university’s ticket operations reports that 8,000 season tickets for the student section were made available. At Ole Miss’ recent game against Arkansas on November 7, according to a report from The Daily Mississippian, police confiscating some 35 student IDs at the gate. Recent success of the football team, combined with a general increased demand for tickets, has led to the spike in student ID sharing. Ticket operations at the university report that student tickets for football are sold at a discounted price of $120, as compared to the $385 public price for a season ticket. “Having student tickets delivered to your student ID is designed to simplify the ticketing process for the student, as you are required to have your university ID on your person at all times when on campus,” says Matt Cook, manager of ticket operations at Ole Miss. “We only allow students to transfer tickets to other students to maintain the integrity of the student section.” University Police have been confiscating IDs at the gates if the photo on the ID very obviously does not match the cardholder at the gate. Ole Miss, like many universities, also has a policy prohibiting students from sharing their IDs – a policy that carries disciplinary action if caught.

ID SHORTS

University police stress that the safety and security implications associated with the sharing of IDs is the most worrisome aspect of the recent trend, as the credentials also enable access to student flex dollars, residence halls and other areas on campus.

CAMPUS LOCKDOWN AT THE PUSH OF A BUTTON Syracuse University’s Department of Public Safety is in the process of testing a new single-button system that is capable of locking all campus buildings that require card access. The system is intended for use in cases of campus emergencies. Per a report from The Daily Orange, the system was first tested over the Thanksgiving break with the university’s department of public safety at the helm. All buildings on the campus’ card access system are included in the single-button lockdown, totaling 95 academic, residential and administrative buildings. It was tested again during the winter break and should be fully operational during the spring 2016 semester. The single button concept was the result of the recent use of Syracuse’s “Orange Alert” system that locked down the university while Syracuse Police were searching for suspects tied to an off-campus homicide investigation. At the time of that investigation, Syracuse already had a system that could lock all card access entry buildings individually, but that process was deemed cumbersome. The single-button system is an alteration to the existing control panel that was previously used to lock buildings individually. The campus lockdown system is housed in university’s communications center and is manned by trained dispatchers under the direction of public safety officers. Since the button locks many of the doors around campus, there are concerns

regarding those students that may be outside when the lockdown occurs. However, university police say that those within the university community will still be able to access buildings using their IDs.

NEBRASKA-OMAHA STUDENT IDS TO ADD FREE BUS RIDES The MavCard, the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s campus card, will soon double as a student bus pass following an expansion to the university’s ride program that adds free bus citywide rides to all students, faculty and staff. There will be no required registration for the new program, and any active MavCard will automatically be ready for use. As an ancillary benefit to the newly expanded bus policy, university officials expect the universal availability of free rides will help to alleviate the typically busy on-campus parking. Parking can be a struggle for any university during peak hours and spaces are usually at a premium. The university plans to break ground on a new parking garage, but a central focus for Omaha is making it more convenient for students and staff to utilize buses, ride bikes or carpool to campus.

The program essentially provides students and staff with a free bus pass for use to and from campus. According to a report from Omaha.com, university officials believe more students could leverage public transit for trips to the grocery store or to reach other parts of the city of Omaha, beyond just campus commuting. UNO’s parking services office and the student government will split the cost of the expansion, which carries a flat annual fee of $60,000 regardless of the number of rides taken. The university’s contract with Omaha’s Metro transit body runs through 2018.

UNIVERSITY CYCLES OUT CASH PAYMENTS IN DINING If you’re making a purchase on campus chances are good it’s a card transaction. The decision typically comes down to either a student ID or a standard debit/ credit card. Plastic is so popular that cash is being rendered obsolete in certain areas of campus. That is the case in Penn State dining halls, where a low volume of cash transactions led to its elimination as a payment option. According to a report from Onward State, rather than making cash purchases

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at dining halls, students must use Lioncash or a Commuter Meal Plan. Penn State Residential cited the high cost of labor to manage cash transactions as the primary driver. In particular, the costs associated with managing the cash bag system, along with the amount of operating hours and the number of cashiers was becoming prohibitive. South Halls – one of Penn State’s residential commons – was spending $10,000 to $12,000 per month in labor to manage its cash bag system. Penn State ran a cost analysis across all residential dining locations to determine just how much it was spending to accept cash versus the amount of cash it accepted. Results of that analysis indicated that many of the residential dining locations were collecting the smallest percentage of cash on campus. With those results, the

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decision was made to discontinue cash payment at those locations. “Since Housing and Food Services is part of Auxiliary Services, our goal is to specifically serve our on-campus residents, who generally don’t use cash,” explains James Richard, associate director of Residential Dining at Penn State. “Over 99% of our business in residential dining is done with the swipe card.” There were, however, some holdout dining locations that still see a number of cash transactions, two of which reportedly had the highest percentage of cash transactions on campus in terms of sales. Residential Dining believes that could be the result of their close proximity to staff areas, and staff are more likely to use cash than students. Those two locations will continue to accept cash payments.

STUDENT BLOOD DONORS REWARDED WITH CAMPUS CARD FUNDS In an effort to encourage more college students to support local blood banks, some Chinese universities are offering a tiered selection of prizes to donors, including adding funds to campus card accounts. As reported by Beijing Today, students at Beijing Forestry University who donate 200mL or 400mL of blood will receive a 400 yuan ($62) or 800 yuan ($123) meal allowance respectively. Students at another institution, Beihang University, receive a 100 yuan ($15) deposit on their student ID card for each donation. Rewards for donating blood vary from campus card funds to volunteer work credits. A number of institutions also

ID SHORTS

offer supermarket shopping cards, phone cards, meal cards and other subsidies.

TENNESSEE LAUNCHES STUDENT MEAL SHARE PROGRAM At the University of Tennessee, the new Big Orange Meal Share program enables students to donate their unused guest meals or contribute funds to benefit students in need. The program is designed to assist students juggling the demands of college life and who may come up a bit short when it comes time for a meal. Similar initiatives are popping up at universities across the country and range from meal share programs like that at Tennessee, to campus-run food pantries. The Big Orange Meal Share is a partnership between Tennesseeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office of the Dean of Students, Student Government Association, Office of Family Engagement and Volunteer Dining. Students can donate any or all of the five free guest meals they receive with their meal plan each semester. Faculty, staff, alumni and members of the university community are also able to make contributions. A donation of $7.87 will provide breakfast for one student in need, while $9.18 and $11.03 will provide lunch and dinner at the universityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all-you-can-eat campus dining facility. Donations will go to a central fund from which meals will be paid, and 100% of the donations will go directly to funding student meals. Students in need of meal assistance can apply for the Big Orange Meal Share program through the Office of the Dean of Students website. Meal share applicants must be a currently enrolled student in good standing at Tennessee. Once an application is received, the office will work with each student independently to determine their needs.

UMASS TACKLING $1 MILLION PLUS IN DORM SECURITY The University of Massachusetts Amherst is hard at work on new and ongoing security improvements to campus residence halls to the tune of more than $1 million. The extensive overhaul is slated for completion by the end of 2016, with 60 of 87 recommended security improvements already completed. The university plays home to 13,000 students living in 52 residence halls. To better safeguard its on-campus population, the university worked with an outside consultant to identify areas of improvement in residence hall security. According to a report from the Daily Hampshire Gazette, UMass Amherst hired the New York based Business Protection Specialists in 2012 resulting in a 214-page report that laid out 87 recommendations.

As part of the overhaul, UMass will make safety improvements in several primary areas. Guest registration. The university will install personal computers for residence hall security monitor desks, new software for visitor management and improved enforcement on visitors with judicial bans, trespass notices and campus sanctions. The new laptops installed in all residence hall lobbies are linked to a secure server that automates visitor management. The database is updated daily and monitors both on- and off-campus visitors to residents of each hall. Residence hall layout. Improvements are slated for residence hall layouts in stairwells, main entrances and public restrooms, along with improvements to lobby and food service access areas. Physical access improvements. Repairs will be made where there are door hardware deficiencies and nuisance alarms. UMass will also replace video cameras,

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implement ID validation using new software and make corrections to “weaknesses” at fire exits. Per the Gazette, UMass’ system verified the identity of 968,690 residents entering campus residence halls and recorded the visits of 177,595 guests between September 4 and December 3, 2015. Of those guests, 146,717 were UMass Amherst students with the remaining 31,053 guests presenting other forms of identification.

CARD ACCESS BOOSTS SECURITY, AFTER-HOURS LIBRARY TRAFFIC Libraries at Cleveland State University were growing a bit quieter than usual come 8 p.m. and the fall of night, but a decision by the university to implement ID card access at exterior and interior library entrances has instilled a renewed sense of security for library goers, and has resulted in increased after-hours traffic. Per a report from the CSU Cauldron, the university’s Michael Schwartz Library and Cleveland-Marshall Law Library now require students to present their Viking Cards for entrance after 8 p.m, at which point the facilities will be closed to the general public. An ID scanner will be fixed to both the the outdoor and indoor entrances of the libraries, enabling ac-

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cess for only faculty, staff and currently enrolled students holding Viking Cards. The policy comes as a result of library staff reporting a significant drop in library usage between the hours of 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. In response to the drop in traffic, library staff polled students to uncover possible reasons as to why they weren’t taking advantage of the libraries’ 12 a.m. closing time. The students’ response? They didn’t feel that there was enough security in place at night. As with many universities located in metropolitan settings, Cleveland State library access is open to the general public, as well as students. The implementation of ID scanners at library entrances, then, will help to ensure that those in the library past 8 p.m. are either a student or member of the university community. University officials believe that the change will also enable library staff to better optimize its services for students in the evening hours, as those without a Viking Card will not be able to access the facilities, thus leaving staff to exclusively serve members of the university community. As an added precaution, university officials say that anyone in the libraries after 8 p.m. may be asked to show a valid CSU ID by staff. The change isn’t without its growing pains, as some student IDs are not yet opening the doors. To facilitate the changeover, the university is deploying staff at the doors after hours. Staff

will immediately send those student ID numbers that are not yet working with the scanners to university Access Control to address any discrepancies.

LOST MASTER KEYS PROVE TO BE $500,000 GAFFE

It goes without saying that master keys for campus residence halls are valuable, but a set of misplaced master keys at the College of William and Mary has led to a hard lesson learned. The college is now replacing dorm room and exterior locks across its Williamsburg, Virginia campus as part of a project that will cost in excess of $500,000. Per a report from The Flat Hat, the re-coring project is currently underway and affects all but one of the residence halls on William and Mary’s campus. The project follows an announcement made in the fall semester by William and Mary Police that a set of master keys had been lost and was never recovered. William and Mary’s Department of Facilities Management is spearheading the project, which includes the replacement of the approximately 3,000 lock sets ranging from individual student dorm rooms to exterior residence hall doors. The re-coring alone will cost an estimated $399,444. As a preventative measure, 20

ID SHORTS

electronically controlled master key storage boxes will also be installed. The boxes are meant to improve the management of residence hall master keys and will cost an added $162,346. In total, the lock project is expected to reach $561,790. College officials insist that the safety of students remains the priority throughout the re-coring project, and that the locksmiths contracted by William and Mary are all bonded and insured and will be escorted by security personnel while replacing the lock sets. Work is expected to be systematically carried out Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. systematically one residence hall at a time until the project is completed.

As part of the re-coring, all old keys and lock cores will be turned over to the William and Mary, while student residents are expected to return their old keys in exchange for their new ones. The old keys and cores will not be re-used by the college but are likely to be sold as surplus, at which point they could be repurposed by another organization or simply recycled for scrap metal. Student residents will be notified via email when it comes time for their residence hall and dorm room locks to be replaced. The initial plan was to carry out the re-coring over the winter break so as to avoid disruptions to student residents, but delays from the collegeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

chosen manufacturer pushed the project start date back to the spring semester. William and Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Residence Life says that lock changes have already been completed in five campus residence halls, as well as three sorority houses. Lock replacements are ongoing, but the college is yet to set a definite completion date.

Explore online for up-to-the-minute news and insight on identity and security technologies for the campus and university market. Articles, podcasts and videos are added daily at CR80News.com

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Automating student attendance tracking with campus cards

Attendance tracking boosts retention, academic performance, identifies at risk students

Higher ed awakening to link between attendance, engagement and success

ANDREW HUDSON, ASSOCIATE EDITOR, AVISIAN PUBLICATIONS

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Spring 2016

It goes without saying that it’s incredibly difficult to succeed academically if you don’t go to class. Even now, in an age when some degrees can be earned almost entirely online, the classroom remains the primary hub of knowledge and learning. And yet, students for one reason or another will miss or purposely skip class to the displeasure of universities and instructors alike. Poor attendance isn’t just a pet peeve, however, it’s a measurable habit that negatively impacts student performance. At the institutional level, student attendance also has ramifications as retention rates and financial aid compliance are closely aligned to “presence.” On another level, the decision to implement an attendance policy – and accompany that policy with an automated attendance system – opens the possibility to improve academic performance and identify students in need of institutional support. “There are many drivers behind attendance tracking on campus, including student retention, improved academic performance, class engagement, expanded student services including advisement options, and accurate reporting for financial aid and budgeting purposes,” says Cheryl Boeckman, vice president of sales at Blackboard Transact. “Attendance as it relates to safety situations on campus is also vital, as knowing who is in a particular classroom at a specific time period can be critical.”

MAKING THE GRADE More than four in 10 full-time college students fail to graduate in six years, according to a Wall Street Journal report. This is one of a bevy of statistics that is forcing the hand of universities are feeling pressure from taxpayers and families

that are less than impressed with graduation rates. “It makes sense – and educators agree – that students who attend classes perform better than those that do not,” says Boeckman. “Many instructors recognize this and attach grade values to attendance by decreasing final scores based on absences or increasing scores based on attendance.” The relationship between student academic performance and university funding is a major motivator encouraging institutions to consider monitor-

ROLL CALL There are a few ways in which campuses opt to track attendance, ranging from the medieval methods of pen and paper to modern, automated systems that leverage the cloud and mobile technologies. At the moment there is no specific data that can say with certainty how most institutions handle attendance, but there are some common ties. “From observation, it appears that most institutions do not manage attendance capture in a centralized or consistent manner,” says

ATTENDANCE AT THE FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORE LEVELS INCREASES THE PROBABILITY OF PERSISTENCE, AND MANY INSTITUTIONS ARE IMPLEMENTING CAMPUS-WIDE ATTENDANCE POLICIES

ing attendance. The discussion around performance based budgeting is on the rise pushing incentives for retention and performance of students. Any boost in academic performance is great news for students, but it also reflects positively on the institution as a whole, influencing enrollment and national rankings. “For university executives, it is important to successfully retain students through graduation, placing them in the workforce as productive members of society and engaged alumni,” explains Boeckman. “Attendance at the freshman and sophomore levels increases the probability of persistence, and many institutions are in the process of instituting campus-wide attendance policies.”

Kent Pawlak, product strategy director at Blackboard. “Most rely on instructors to manually capture attendance,” he says. “Some use electronic capture from a variety of commercial offerings, while others have created custom solutions often using their card-based transaction system.” Whether an institution opts to purchase a solution from a vendor or build its own solution in house, the technology underpinning attendance can be narrowed to some familiar form factors. “It’s been all about the wired card reader, but we’re in the midst of a very strong migration to mobile technology,” says Susan Chaffee, director of product management at CBORD. “It’s more cost effective, it’s portable and it’s easy to expand.”

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IN THE PAST CAPTURING ATTENDANCE HAS BEEN SEEN AS A CHORE THAT EATS INTO CLASS TIME, AND FOR THAT REASON, IN HIGHER ED SOME INSTRUCTORS SIMPLY VIEW IT AS THE STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY AND MISSED CLASSES ARE REFLECTED IN GRADES

CBORD has mobile options for any iOS or Android phone, as well as for tablets and laptops and physically mounted Power over Ethernet readers, says Chaffee. CBORD’s offering lets universities define specific events, classes and locations along with the associated business rules to confirm eligibility and track attendance. “Universities are able to run specific reports or extract attendance data to be consumed by another system for reporting,” adds Chaffee. Vendors are reporting an increase in universities wanting solutions for attendance tracking. “The majority of our campuses are embracing attendance tracking in one way or another,” says Fred Emery, director of sales at Heartland OneCard. “It has become sought after function and we have seen significant growth over the past few years.” Heartland offers a number of products that run on iOS or Android to assist in attendance, including mobile apps that can be used in an attended or unattended environment. Additionally, a PC-based application called Verify can be deployed on any administrative terminal, enabling existing computers in offices or classrooms to facilitate attendance tracking, explains Emery. “Standard access control terminals are also available, and we integrate with many third-party systems that can facilitate attendance tracking.”

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Attendance in cyberspace Attendance is a relatively straightforward concept for students attending a class in person, on a brick-and-mortar campus. But what happens when the campus is moved to the web? “In-person attendance capture is completely different from online,” says Kent Pawlak, product strategy director at Blackboard. “In-person requires validation of physical presence at the specified class time and location through their electronic credential, mobile phone or access card, while online class attendance may vary widely based on the course.” In the case of online attendance, rules may be configured in each course that determines successful attendance, explains Pawlak. “It may be evaluated by reaching certain milestones, such as on screen accesses or submitted responses.” The key difference at the moment, then, is that attendance in online environments is more fragmented and requires more configurations than its in-person counterpart. “Some courses may be learn-at-your-own-pace while others may have specified deadlines to exhibit competence on subject matter,” says Pawlak. “Given the varying nature of online courses, rules for determining attendance should be evaluated at the course level and configured as part of the course.”

Blackboard recently released a new attendance capture and reporting solution. “Our product is a cloud-based service that works with on-premise, mobile applications and the student’s campus ID credential,” says Boeckman. The Blackboard attendance product is a standalone offering that can be used by any campus regardless of its campus card vendor. Using the company’s new MRD5 mobile reader and a mobile app for iOS or Android devices, Blackboard Attendance enables students to swipe in or, if available,

tap a contactless card or mobile device to log attendance.

CHANGING CULTURES TO EMBRACE ATTENDANCE Whether you have an automated system or not, there are challenges executing attendance at the higher ed level. Chief among these is instructor participation. “Capturing attendance has in the past been seen as a chore that eats into class time, and for that reason, in higher

STUDENT

education some instructors simply view attendance as the student’s responsibility and missed classes are reflected in grades,” says Blackboard’s Boeckman. Another ever-present challenge is the cost to acquire and maintain an attendance solution. “The challenges relate to funding for card reader terminals, initial setup, and assigning rights to cardholders for tracking,” says Heartland’s Emery. “Once this is completed there is ongoing maintenance of data, reporting and management of terminal usage.” CBORD’s Chaffee highlights another challenge that exists on the back end regarding the reliability of collected data. Is it self-reported attendance? Is there a proctor or staff member checking them in? Is it automated via a swipe of the card or

is someone manually writing something down? “In the very near future we believe this will all be automated across the board,” she says. Then, attendance will come of age. “It does take time to manually capture and report attendance, but using an automated tracking solution reduces the friction for both the student and the instructor, so achieving faculty buy-in becomes more manageable,” says Pawlak.

ATTENDANCE AT LONGWOOD

For Virginia’s Longwood University, retention and financial aid compliance were the primary inspirations for adopting an attendance solution.

Virginia campus automates event attendance tracking Attendance tracking has gone beyond the classroom at Longwood, as the university has seen emerging interest in the system for campus events. “Departments wanted to a way to track attendance at various events around campus and collect data to help with their assessment reports and program planning,” says Christina Sampier, Lancer Card Center Manager at Longwood University. “This has become a very popular service and continues to grow.” For event attendance Longwood has started a new procedure. “There is now a page on our website showing the various readers available and explaining the process. There is also a web form they complete that stores the information in a spreadsheet and notifies us that there is a request,” Sampier explains. “We add these requests to our calendar and assign the appropriate reader for the event and location.” Since many of our locations around campus already have readers, many times we don’t need to do any set-up, Sampier adds. “Attendees simply swipe their card and we follow up with reports.”

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“Longwood’s top priority for our strategic plan is to increase student retention,” says Christina Sampier, manager for the Lancer Card Center at Longwood University. “Tracking student attendance can help identify students who may be in danger of underperforming academically by not only looking at class attendance but also following their spending patterns, access history and more.” Longwood needed to find a way to identify absentees early to assist with the institution’s compliance with Federal Financial Aid requirements and audits, says Sampier. “We are able to identify ‘no shows’ more quickly and even identify students who have changed their patterns in an effort to identify students who may be experiencing some issues.” Longwood University, a CBORD campus client, runs CS Gold and uses various methods to track attendance. “We not only track classroom attendance but are also tracking attendance at events on and off campus,” says Sampier. Longwood uses CBORD’s AERO readers that are already stationed in various locations around campus, as well as mounted attendance readers in classrooms and mobile readers that use an iPod Touch or iPad mini. The university also has an AERO reader that uses a Verizon Aircard for locations that do not have reliable Wi-Fi such as parking lots, the campus lawn or off-campus sites. The attendance function integrates directly with the existing card system. “All of these devices require a card swipe,” Sampier says. “Since all students, faculty and staff have a Lancer card, it makes this an easy method to use for campus related activities.” Faculty and staff are also included in the attendance system. “There have been instances where a mandatory staff training was taking place, a Title IX training for instance, and the university needed to track

Step by step: Blackboard Attendance 1. Instructor launches app on mobile device and pairs via Bluetooth with attendance reader 2. Students tap or swipe ID card at attendance reader 3. Reader sends real-time swipe data to instructor’s mobile device 4. Mobile device pushes attendance data to cloud for storage and reporting

attendance to ensure all faculty and staff attended the training,” explains Sampier. As for students, Longwood’s faculty currently decide if they are going to use the attendance system and have the option to make it mandatory for their class. “I get a list of faculty that are teaching in the rooms where we have an attendance reader and ask if they plan to utilize the system,” says Sampier. “We have 90% participation this semester.” After instructors inform the office and verify the class schedule they just need to make sure students swipe their cards when they enter the room, says Sampier. “It’s that simple. As long as they swipe, we are able to capture that data and run reports.”

The system at Longwood is able to not only provide faculty with student names and attendance dates but also academic major, email address and other information that may be of interest. The benefits of implementing an attendance system are certainly evident. “More students are carrying their card with them because they need it for more services,

while faculty are happy that they can begin class right away and not wait for students to sign in on a piece of paper or call roll,” Sampier says.

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM Whether a student reports to the place they are expected to be, when they’re expected

I GET A LIST OF FACULTY THAT ARE TEACHING IN THE ROOMS THAT WE HAVE ATTENDANCE READERS AND ASK IF THEY PLAN TO UTILIZE THE SYSTEM. WE HAD 90% PARTICIPATION RATE THIS SEMESTER.

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CR80News

WHEN WE HEAR THE WORD ‘ATTENDANCE’ WE AUTOMATICALLY THINK OF CLASSROOM ATTENDANCE, BUT REALLY WHAT WE ARE SEEING IS AN INTEREST IN ACTIVITY TRACKING AS A TOOL TO MEASURE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT to be there, is an idea that may well go beyond being simply absent or present. In fact, attendance may be just as much about engagement as it is about being physically present. “When we hear the word ‘attendance’ we automatically think of classroom attendance, but really what we are seeing is a very pointed interest in activity tracking as a tool to measure student engagement,”

says Chaffee. “And ultimately to measure the efficacy of non-academic student programs, and the effect they have or do not have on academic success.” To these ends, the data derived from an attendance solution can be an invaluable asset. “Those that track student attendance have a wealth of information that can be used for analysis and mining,” Emery says. “Subsequently, this can help in operational

decision making such as if facility hours should be changed or if a certain program needs to be expanded.” “These data analyses can also be used for financial purposes such as helping determine how to allocate funds or obtain grants or other outside funding,” Emery adds. “It can even be used in residence hall selection lotteries or for establishing athletic ticket priority.”

THE POWER OF PRESENCE

Canadian college students CheckIN for shuttle rides Attendance tracking boasts applications beyond the classroom and campus events. At Sheridan College, an attendance solution from Heartland Campus Solutions is being used in conjunction with a campus shuttle bus service. “We are using the attendance solution for our inter-campus shuttle bus to track ridership,” says Aesha Brown, oneCARD manager, Ancillary Services at Sheridan College. “This data is able to provide us with data analytics to better serve our students and staff.” The attendance solution being used at Sheridan is called CheckIN, a mobile app provided by Heartland that is available on the Apple store and Google Play for iOS and Android devices. The system for the shuttle bus requires students to tap their card to the reader on the bus, which is connected to a tablet running the CheckIN app. explains Brown. The app creates a record for the tap including the card number, date and time of tap, location, terminal number and account type. When the report is run the card number is linked to the account number and the account number is used in the reports. The tablet also displays a photo of the student along with a large green check mark if the student is eligible to ride the shuttle bus, or in the case of unpaid tuition or withdrawal from school, a large red “X” will appear to notify the driver that the student is ineligible, says Brown. The CheckIN app, and the data analytics it provides, enables Sheridan to better serve students and staff in the area of transportation, says Brown. “We can determine if more busses are needed at a particular time of day, what groups of students use the bus the most and how often, as well as identify peak periods and non-peak periods.”

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Spring 2016

Be it improved academic performance, student retention or compliance with financial aid, the benefits of attendance for students and their institution are evident. Data is an undoubtedly powerful resource, and when used properly, can be the critical link between a university and a student in need. “Universities that track attendance and leverage the resulting data can better serve students though early intervention and outreach programs,” says Boeckman. The most significant benefit of attendance, then, could be the one that can’t be measured on a grading scale or in dollars and cents. “Engagement with the student is key and increases the probability of retention and higher performance,” she says. “Students benefit when the institution and its faculty can make the empirical connection between course material and absentee rates – insight with which changes can be made to inform instructional design and drive improved student engagement,” stresses Boeckman. “Engaged students are more successful students and can help elevate the interest of those around them as well.”

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End of an era as long-time NACCU exec retires Adkins reflects on 35-years dedicated to campus

card industry tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the end of an era at the National Association of Campus Card Users, as the associationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long standing Executive Director, Lowell Adkins, calls time on a successful career in the campus card industry. He started in the campus card business in January of 1981 and never looked back. During that 35-year period, he touched every facet of the industry, spanning roles at the university, corporate and industry association levels. Adkins recently spoke with CR80News about his experiences in the campus card industry, his time with NACCU and future plans away from the card business.

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Spring 2016

A graduate of Duke University with a Masters of Divinity, Adkins spent his early professional years as a pastor and a contract administrator for an architect before returning to his alma mater to take a position as a dining hall manager. Following a reorganization of Duke’s food services program in the early 1980s, Adkins assumed the role of assistant director of support services, marking his official introduction to the university’s card program. In his time with Duke, Adkins played a pivotal role building the university’s card program to one of the most advanced in the country. The early years were pioneering, and the growth of the program at Duke was largely due to Adkins and the rest of the Duke staff demanding more from their card system. Adkins is quick to credit that vision for that pioneering system to his mentor at Duke, Joe Pietrantoni, who in the mid 80’s envisioned a fully cashless, keyless card program. It was ambitious and forward thinking then, but even 30 years later the industry has yet to fully achieve this vision, he says. “We started wherever Harco – Duke’s hardware supplier at the time – was willing to provide equipment,” says Adkins. “We knew we were on the cutting edge, and it was a delight to see Joe’s vision begin to unfold.” Ambitious plans require a strong vendor-institution partnership and Duke found this with a small solution vendor named Harco. After shopping the idea of a cashless, keyless campus to a vendor or two, others said “no way” but Harco jumped on board, says Adkins. Adkins remained at Duke, expanding the card program until 1997, when he joined the Phoenix-based AT&T CampusWide, which had recently acquired Harco. Adkins developed an appreciation for the corporate side of the market where he learned to approach familiar campus card challenges from a different perspective. “We always asked ‘how can you make a system as user-friendly, efficient and affordable as you can and continue to extend

functionality?’” says Adkins. “This was the focus at CampusWide and my focus during my years on the vendor side of the business.” Later Blackboard would acquire the CampusWide offering, and Adkins would manage that business line for the new entrant in the campus card space.

FOSTERING NACCU’S CULTURE Following a successful four years from 1997 through 2001 with CampusWide/Blackboard, and a further couple of years as a consultant in the corporate realm, Adkins felt that a role nearer to universities was in order. In 2004, Adkins threw his name in the hat for the role of NACCU’s Executive Director, a position he officially assumed in March of that year. At NACCU, he was determined to help the corporate and higher ed realms come

together, no doubt a result of his experience on both sides of the market. “Corporate partners have a feel-good relationship about the association and I have worked very hard to foster that,” he says. “In the global scheme, this isn’t a big industry, but these vendors and corporations have devoted themselves to serving it.” The culture extends to the individuals working for corporate partners as well. “These are talented professionals with all kinds of opportunities, but they choose to stay and serve higher ed,” says Adkins. “Most stay because they really care about colleges and universities.” During his career, the campus card industry has grown past its early momand-pop days, but he sees people working internally to keep that spirit and culture of service alive. “To be successful in this market still requires a much warmer, familial approach.”

THAT’S THE OVERWHELMING CULTURE OF NACCU, A ‘WE’RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER’ BELIEF. IT’S A CULTURE I’VE WORKED VERY HARD TO FOSTER.

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CR80News

It’s a culture he believes is unique to higher ed. “I have not experienced another organization where there is as much ‘let me help you’ as there is with this industry,” he says. “That’s the overwhelming culture of NACCU as an organization, a ‘we’re all in this together’ belief. It’s a culture that I’ve worked very hard to foster.”

THE WAY FORWARD When asked if he had any advice for his successor, Adkins implores the future executive director to continue the culture of members helping others to succeed. “I think that the culture of NACCU will be particularly important in the years ahead, as the major sea change in transactions approaches,” he adds. “I think there will still be a role for transaction manage-

ment on campuses, but handing out cards with a photo is going to be a less important piece of what we do than managing the transaction themselves.” Professional development and the establishment of a defined career path for campus card professionals were primary focuses for Adkins when he assumed the role of executive director some 12-years ago. Going forward, he sees the association’s role in these areas growing in importance. “We are always going to have the 101 workshops, but we are implementing more professional development,” he says. He is always proud to see folks who started as card office admins move up the ranks and assume leadership roles in auxiliary services. Previously these positions would to go to bookstore or food service managers who had been on campus in

HANDING OUT CARDS WITH A PHOTO IS GOING TO BE A LESS IMPORTANT PIECE OF WHAT WE DO THAN MANAGING THE TRANSACTION THEMSELVES

CR80News

Spring 2016

higher profile positions. “It is great affirmation that our cards programs are high profile,” he says. Whoever the new executive director may be, Adkins insists they will be in great company from day one. “We have a very dedicated and professional staff, and they do amazing work,” he says. “All of them have grown to be a part of this culture of ‘how can we serve our membership and make life easier for them.” “It’s been lots of give and take, but my time in this industry has been wonderful for me,” says Adkins. “I have learned a lot and experienced a lot.”

PASTURES NEW With his time as executive director – and a professional career spanning every facet of the campus card industry – behind him, Adkins has a new question to answer: what’s next? Fittingly, there are no plans to slow down. “I anticipate being busier after retirement than I was while I was working,” Adkins says. “My faith has been very important throughout my entire life, and I will continue to be very involved with my church.” Adkins sees the church as a natural springboard into community service opportunities around his home in Phoenix. “I would like to get involved with a part of our society that is not well served, in particular the homeless population,” he says. In a matter-of-factly tone of voice, he mentions say a little vacation as well – a pending trip around the world. Stops in Hong Kong, Victoria Falls, Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa for a safari are all on the docket. The global tour will be capped off with some time in Abu Dhabi – a part of the world Adkins says he has yet to see. Everyone here at CR80News would like to thank Lowell for his 12-years of dedicated service to NACCU, as well as his contributions to the campus card industry as a whole. We wish him the best in all future endeavors, and of course, safe travels.

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CR80News

East Tennessee State pioneers next-generation campus mailroom Automation, mobile app reduces footprint and improves student service Universities are often the perfect environments to test new methods for old processes. A perfect example of this is the campus mailroom where inefficiencies, outdated technology and spatial waste are proving to be more of a burden than a service. Universities are exploring new ways to redefine the mailroom of old. Campus card providers offer automation services for package pickup, and technology companies like Ricoh and even Internet giants like Amazon are working to change the way campus mail is delivered. A new entrant to the campus space, USZoom, is positioning its digital mailbox platform – which has been implemented at 120 locations across 42 states – specifically for the university space. Under a new

CR80News

Spring 2016

moniker, iCollegeMail, the system provides campuses with a means to notify students when mail arrives and turns the concept of mail delivery into something of a concierge service. USZoom initially developed the digital mailbox concept in 2007 for its shipping store that was serving international customers, says Barry Gesserman, chief marketing officer at USZoom. The company now serves 25,000 customers with digital mailbox solutions. “We hear it all the time, whether it’s a dorm or a campus mail center, mail is delivered to boxes and it just sits there,” says Gesserman. “Even if they’re in close proximity, students aren’t thinking as much

about mail, and it’s not a central part of their life.” Since postal mail isn’t as much of a focus for students as it was years ago, universities need to rethink how they deal with letters and packages. The digital mailbox enables students to be notified – via smartphone app or email – when they receive a package or letter. Once notified, they can choose to visit their individual mailbox or report to the mailroom service window to receive their parcel. Alternately, they can opt to immediately discard and recycle the mail, hold for pickup or forwarding to another address. It’s giving a measure of control to students as to how their mail is handled, while doing away with clunky mailboxes.

ETSU BLAZES A TRAIL The mail center at East Tennessee State University is pioneering efforts to introduce new methods of mail delivery. “East Tennessee State probably has the most innovative university post office in the country,” says Don McCarty, manager of Postal Services at the university. “We’ve been very progressive in launching new ideas.” Prior to joining East Tennessee State, McCarty spent 27 years in the Marine Corps working in postal service, and by the time he retired he had essentially assumed the role of postmaster for the Corps. “After moving mail all over the world – which the Marines do better than anybody else – I decided to join ETSU,” McCarty says. “When I arrived, they were about 30 years behind was used to.” CR80what v1.4 IFINAL.pdf 1 2/10/16

STUDENTS CAN PICK UP MAIL 20 HOURS A DAY, 365 DAYS PER YEAR. THEY CAN RECEIVE THEIR LETTERS AND PACKAGES WITHOUT COMING TO A WINDOW, WITHOUT ASSISTANCE AND WITHOUT STAFFING.

ETSU previously had a system that required an employee to manually enter students’ box number and send out an email notification to the student, explains McCarty. “The notification was simple and basically told students that they had first class mail in their box. Students didn’t know what the mail was – letter or package – 4:15 PM only that they had mail.”

McCarty initially contacted USZoom looking for a means to introduce additional automation. With iCollegeMail, ETSU can now give students choice. “They have the choice currently to treat it as waste mail, which is good because a lot of those letters would normally fill up the trashcans in my lobby,” he says. “Now we directly

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85%

Zero

Number of ETSU staff positions eliminated via automation as work was repositioned to revenue generating activities rather than manual mail sorting

The reduction in volume of leftover, neglected mail thrown out at the end of each semester

94%

The amount of mail automatically recycled by ETSU students

$240,000

Cost savings achieved by handling previously outsourced work using mailroom staff

The mailbox of the future is digital With iCollegeMail, every student gets a digital mailbox and app and the mail center gets admin software that enables two-way communication, says Barry Gesserman, chief marketing officer at USZoom. “Students can then see a picture of the outside of the envelope or package and manage mail from a menu of action steps.” Simply put, the digital mailbox eliminates the need for a physical mailbox – a feature that campuses operating in tight spaces will appreciate. “A number of campuses are ripping out mailboxes because they’re seeing that it’s a waste of space,” he says. Also available is an open and scan service that sees mailroom staff open letters, scan the contents and send a PDF file on to students via email. It’s a service that is entirely opt-in. For packages that may contain perishable items, a priority flag can be activated, so that flowers don’t wilt and cookies from home don’t go stale, says Gesserman. “Students know exactly what item they received by viewing the image in their digital mailbox, including sender information, and can use the app to schedule a time to pick up their package.” Students can be notified in two primary ways: push notification to the smartphone via the iCollegeMail app and email to a designated address. “Text or email messages can easily get lost or overlooked, so push notification to the app is often preferable. Plus all the mail they receive is stored in their mail history viewable from the app.”

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recycle behind the counter so mail isn’t exposed to just anyone walking by.” Students at ETSU also have the option to have mail placed in the mailbox, forwarded to another address or held for future pickup during vacations or breaks. “My students can pick up mail 20 hours a day, 365 days per year,” explains McCarty. “They can receive their letters, parcel mail, everything without coming to a window, without assistance and without staffing.”

PROOF IN THE PUDDING As a result of the convenience of nearly anytime, anywhere mail service the university has seen a successful and speedy mail pickup record. “For packages, we see 74% picked up on day one, and by day two a further 24% are picked up,” he says. “Only 2% of the total packages aren’t picked up within 48 hours. No other campus is coming close to that number.” The reason for pursuing the more automated system was to both improve the existing process and cut the considerable footprint that the campus’ several hundred mailboxes were consuming. “When the university requested to take a sizeable amount of our mail space we decided to use that as an opportunity,” says McCarty.

Also key to the efficiency of ETSU’s mail operations is the automation that’s in place to facilitate student services, namely a smart locker system. The smart locker system resides in a lobby that is centrally located on campus and is available until 2:00 am daily and opens every morning at 6:00 am. As part of that system, ETSU has installed 140 intelligent lockers in four different sizes. “We take packages from the mail truck and put them straight to the smart lockers, we scan the bar code, close the door and send the notification to the student that mail is waiting for them,” explains McCarty. “The student then reports to the

“We’re going to install 400 letterboxes directly into the wall and back load them from behind,” says McCarty. “An email will be sent out letting students know they have a letter and which box number it is in.” Where iCollegeMail comes in, McCarty says, is in the automation of the process. Instead of manually typing student information in, those letters go through a scanner that recognizes the number and name of the student to receive the iCollegeMail notification that will also include a PIN number and a box number. “Now with the app, students receive a push notification,” says McCarty. He says they are investigating options to eliminate

I DON’T KNOW THAT THIS CONCEPT OF REUSABLE MAILBOXES WOULD HAVE WORKED IN THE DAYS WHEN LETTER MAIL WAS MORE COMMON. BUT TODAY OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE AROUND 200 LETTERS PER DAY. WITH THE 400 LETTERBOXES, A 48-HOUR HOLD IN THE BOX, AND PUSH NOTIFICATIONS, WE BELIEVE IT WILL BE MANAGEABLE.

mail center, visits one of the unattended monitors, enters their PIN and the door magically opens up. Students retrieve their package, close the door, and are sent a confirmation email informing them that they should have received their package.” The next step for ETSU is to leverage iCollegeMail to extend the smart locker concept to letter mail as well. Other systems that do away with individual mailboxes typically sort and hold mail behind a counter and require students to report to a service window for pickup. ETSU will instead implement letterboxes that are tied to the existing intelligent locker system.

the PIN-entry requirement. These could include phone-based proximity technologies – NFC, Bluetooth or GPS – as well as campus card controlled access.

NEW REVENUE STREAMS Another key aspect of the iCollegeMail system is an opportunity to forge new revenue streams through digital mailers. “Unlike email, the digital mailbox is a controlled environment, and the campus mail center is the gatekeeper,” explains USZoom’s Gesserman. “So just like an image of an envelope or package can be inserted via the

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CR80News

system, so can a PDF, enabling an entirely new messaging capability.” Whether it’s internal communication for publicizing campus events and groups, or advertisements from local vendors, the task can be done digitally as opposed to manually printing and stuffing flyers into individual boxes, Gesserman explains. It’s a feature of iCollegeMail that ETSU is trialing with local McDonald’s locations that are offering email discounts in the form of PDF, says McCarty. “Paper coupons almost always end up right in the trashcan, but these coupons, particularly for things like buy-one-get-one food offers, can be like gold for students.” The system enables local businesses to send a picture or a coupon right to students mobile device and bring in a little more money to the university. “It’s

a chance to raise a little bit of income, provide a service to students and save time associated with stuffing the paper coupons into each mail slot and then removing them when students don’t pick them up,” he adds. “With this system students can redeemed offers using their phone, rather than losing or forgetting the paper coupon.” Another area for potential revenue is the ability to stay connected with alumni. “Even after moving around, campuses could still get mail to their graduating alumni with this platform,” says Gesserman. Additionally, automated systems enable the extension of mail services to offcampus students, a missed opportunity in terms of revenue, he notes. For now ETSU graduates will continue to receive ETSU mail service for up to six

FOR PACKAGES, WE SEE 74% PICKED UP ON DAY ONE AND A FURTHER 24% BY DAY TWO. ONLY 2% AREN’T PICKED UP WITHIN 48 HOURS. NO OTHER CAMPUS IS COMING CLOSE TO THAT NUMBER.

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Spring 2016

months after graduation, at which point they would have the option to pay for USZoom’s standard offering.

THE WAY FORWARD The change that is beginning to occur in campus mail is a natural evolution of a near age-old service. As the demands placed on mail delivery change with a new generation of students who aren’t thinking about snail mail, the service itself must adapt. The key to evolving the mail center at ETSU has been a positive, trusting relationship between staff and campus administration. “Every initiative that I’ve come up with, my higher ups have been behind it,” says McCarty. “I love providing these services and saving the university time and money.”

Ole Miss increases dorm security, efficiency Student ID bridges access control and housing management systems TOM STILES, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, IDENTIFICATION SYSTEMS GROUP

For students, a college dormitory is a home away from home. But for university housing departments, a residence hall or a collection of residence halls can be a management challenge equal to that of a small town. With thousands of students to serve each year, colleges are constantly scratching their heads as they look for ways to better manage these communities, including how to increase security while improving efficiency. The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, regularly evaluates

WE KNEW AN INTEGRATION BETWEEN OUR TOTALCARD ACCESS SYSTEM AND STARREZ HOUSING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM WOULD STREAMLINE THE MOVE-IN PROCESS products and services that can better serve its growing student population. With 40% of the institution’s 20,000 students living in on-campus housing, the Housing IT Department has a big job. In 2009 the department invested in an electronic access control and visitor registration system from TotalCard that manages access rights and privileges at all 14 residence halls and two apartment complexes. The TotalCard campus card system enables colleges and universities to identify, validate and track students and faculty members. Students can use their ID cards for a variety of things both on and off campus including making purchases, utilizing meal plans, attending events, accessing dorm rooms and other campus facilities, tracking attendance and more. The sys-

tem’s modular design allows campuses to implement features and applications one at a time, in phases or all at once, depending on specific campus needs. Prior to implementing the electronic access system, Ole Miss students gained access to their residence hall and room with a physical key. The biggest security risk was that there was no way to deactivate lost or stolen keys. Today, cards are immediately deactivated in the system as soon as they are reported missing. When considering options for access control, the campus was concerned with cost and ease of installation. Wireless locks helped minimize installation and wiring costs, and enabled Ole Miss to deploy electronic access to each individual room in every residence hall. Each wireless lock is battery powered and system administrators receive notifications when batteries need to be changed. At Ole Miss, ID cards are mailed to the student’s home address during the summer. This solved the issue of long lines at the campus card office on move in day, but added a challenge. There was no way of accounting for students as they moved in, thus creating inaccurate records. The housing department approached TotalCard for help building a solution to ensure each student officially checks in, prior to accessing their room. The company facilitated integration between the access control system and StarRez, the housing management system used by Ole Miss. StarRez is a student housing solution that includes online housing applications, such as roommate and room self-selection. The Ole Miss integration enables room numbers and access privileges to be instantly assigned as students present their card during check-in at their residence hall. “We manage all of our student room assignments in StarRez, so we knew an

integration between the two systems would help to simplify the move in process,” explains Chris Thornton, systems administrator for student housing at Ole Miss. “To check in, students present their prox cards to a reader at the front desk of their residence hall, at which time their room assignment and access privileges are activated instantly in TotalCard. This is great for us because students get fast and easy access to their rooms and we get an electronic list of who has moved in and who has not.” The campus also benefits from use of TotalCard’s electronic visitor registration system at each residence hall. Students are asked to meet their guest in the lobby of their building, at which time both the student and guest present an ID and a record of the visit is logged. The system accepts both student ID cards and driver licenses for fast enrollment and electronic reporting, giving operators easy access to information about who is coming and going in each building. The combination of electronic door access and visitor registration adds extra security to residence halls. By implementing a fully integrated card system, a housing department benefits from the features and functionality of multiple applications without the headache of managing each system individually.

The Identification Systems Group (ISG) – a network of 32 dealers that cover the USA and Canada – offers the TotalCard system. These dealers are local systems integrators, providing high quality, cost effective solutions backed by the support and strength of our Professional Services Certification program.

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FROM THE DIRECTOR’S CHAIR:

Employing Millennials in card offices and auxiliary services JUDE KIAH, ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENT OF AUXILIARY SERVICES, XAVIER UNIVERSITY

The United States has entered a challenging period in the history of its workforce. For the first time, there are four generations in the workplace simultaneously. And the newest generation, the Millennials, have entered the workplace with a far different view of work than their predecessors. There are more than 75 million of them, more than the Baby Boomers they are replacing and far more than Generation X – and Millennials are proving to be a managerial challenge unlike previous generations. Even as employers are spending increasing money and time recruiting and training them, Millennials are leaving jobs earlier and with much greater frequency. This is true across fields, and auxiliary services and card offices are no exception.

the results can help attract and retain new professionals to auxiliary services. In the study, five major themes emerged highlighting Millennial values. Topping the list, achieving work-life balance evoked the most passionate responses. The theme was visceral to every participant. Regardless of the structure of their workday, all participants expressed a desire for flexibility in the job itself or that the job afforded enough flexibility outside of work. Compensation in many forms was cited a reason to take a job, leave one or pine for a new employer, but how Millennials define compensation varies. Many of them were ardent about benefits, including health insurance, retirement accounts and flex time. They seek to rise in their profession for the

EVEN AS EMPLOYERS ARE SPENDING INCREASING MONEY AND TIME RECRUITING AND TRAINING THEM, MILLENNIALS ARE LEAVING JOBS EARLIER AND WITH MUCH GREATER FREQUENCY. THIS IS TRUE ACROSS FIELDS, AND AUXILIARY SERVICES AND CARD OFFICES ARE NO EXCEPTION. Even though “organizational commitment” continues to be a reliable predictor of an employee’s turnover intention, the definition of what commits an employee to a job is changing. Millennials desire more intense coaching, flexibility and quicker advancement than previous generations. Employers have a keen interest in understanding what connects Millennials to the workplace and what, if anything can reduce these higher rates of turnover. Recently, I finished a qualitative study of Millennials to find out, from them, how their work values have shifted, what they desire in an employer and what causes them to leave with greater frequency than previous generations. I believe

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Spring 2016

appropriation of influence or added flexibility. In addition to income, all mentioned a singular focus: to pursue happiness. Autonomy was another common goal. Not all want to be a CEO or have a corner office, but all did want the power to make decisions in their sphere. Conversely, they didn’t want their supervisors to micro-manage their decisions. Poor management tops the list of reasons they leave employers. The definition of poor management varied, but once they deemed a supervisor to be incompetent, they report actively looking for a job nearly immediately. Poor management was seen as a deal breaker and many report deciding almost immediately, regardless of financial

sacrifice, that they could not continue to work for a boss that had values misaligned with their own. In many cases, they said supervisors had no idea they were unhappy until their resignation letter was on the desk. Whether the managers were cavalier is debatable, but it is clear that they didn’t have a grasp of what their subordinates were thinking, feeling or planning. Millennials see the workplace differently and don’t feel that the unwritten rules apply to them. They don’t subscribe to the concept of “paying dues” feel strongly that their age should not serve as a barrier to their ideas being given credibility. For employers, much of the last decade has been spent defining the differences between Millennials and previous generations. But as the study shows, concentrating on the differences of Millennials does not solve the turnover problem. This requires a different approach to leadership. To be successful in reducing turnover, employers will need to spend less effort expressing disdain and confusion at what they perceive to be work values that are antithetical to their own. Instead they should make more of an effort understanding Millennials’ definitions of work values. This will have to happen to recruit and retain Millennials as the quest to find those that have work values similar to their own may prove futile.

Above all else, work-life balance will clearly need to be redefined to retain Millennials. There has been an increasing propensity in the workplace to work harder, have less personal time, and to do more with less, but Millennials are refusing to subscribe to the prior-generation’s theory of work. Some employers see the increased need for balance among Millennials as a decrease in loyalty or work ethic. This view places work above personal life, and not alongside it as Millennials strongly assert it should be. There are many ways – flextime, telecommuting, job sharing, flexible work days, etc. – by which that balance can be struck, and where Millennials work ethic can be retained and even increased.

Jude Kiah is the Assistant Vice President for Auxiliary Services at Xavier University. He has spent 23 years in auxiliaries with past positions at Western Illinois University and the Savannah College of Art and Design. His PhD dissertation, Vocational Turnover in Millennials: A Phenomenological Examination, is available on ProQuest.

Spring 2016

CR80News

Vending marries open loop and campus card payments

Maximizing tender options key to upping overall sales EDMUND LAWLER, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, AVISIAN PUBLICATIONS

Debit and credit cards, as well their mobile equivalents, are giving campus cards a run for their money at vending machines on many campuses across the country. Although providers of traditional closed-loop campus ID card systems may be losing their once exclusive grip on cashless vending sales, most say the migration to open-loop payments is contributing to a rising tide in unattended sales. A generation of students weaned on plastic has easier access to beverage and snack machines, and campus visitors can tap or swipe their credit and debit cards rather than seek out cash or potentially forego the purchase altogether. But the closed-loop, declining balance account remains viable and is still the

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Spring 2016

method of choice in dining halls, laundries, copying and printing environments. “Vending is continuing to grow on campus,” says Dan Gretz, senior director for market development at Blackboard Transact. “The vending providers like Canteen and Coca-Cola are regularly deploying card readers that take both the campus card and the credit and debit cards on all the vending machines on campus, not just those in the high-traffic areas.” Today, it seems almost essential to consider open-loop payment. According to research from the Student Monitor, 52% of students name debit and credit cards as their preferred payment method. Until recently, credit cards for vending weren’t even in scope. Traditionally,

schools would put dedicated readers from their campus card vendor on vending machines to accept the campus card. But with rising student use of credit and debit cards, vending providers saw the opportunity to expand sales and began adding a separate, open-loop card reader to machines on campus. Deploying two card readers on a single vending machine was not the most elegant solution and certainly not the best option from a user’s perspective. “It wasn’t clear to users which reader they should swipe or tap their card to complete the transaction,” explains Gretz. Today, vending readers are available that accept both the campus card and branded credit and debit cards.

Blackboard has adopted the more agnostic approach to payments by allowing campuses to grow their base of revenueproducing vending machines, while the open-payments system is more accommodating to students and campus visitors accustomed to using plastic, says Gretz. Still, he stresses that Blackboard’s core solution remains closed-loop, declining balance accounts. James Lawrence, vice president of vending and campus markets for wireless payments processor Apriva, says the company entered vending in the higher education space three years ago offering an integrated card reader that could process payments from both campus cards and credit/debit cards. cr80_ad_1.5-022216-2:Layout 1

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“Years ago, it was strictly cash and coins at campus vending machines,” says Lawrence. “Then the campus card companies began the cashless trend by offering their own proprietary reader that would accept campus cards only. They would sell them to the vending machine providers for $1,100 to $1,200 a piece. That was acceptable because the readers created significant value for the campuses and the vending contractors.” Today a single reader can accept campus cards, credit cards, debit cards, gift cards as well as contactless options such as Apple Pay or Samsung Pay all on one device. “All at about half the cost of the proprietary readers, that’s a game changer because you now have the added value of all payment types at a substantially lower cost to the campus,” says Lawrence. Because Apriva enjoys an economy of scale, it can offer its all-in-one payment device for less than the proprietary readers designed for campus cards, he explains. In other words, they sell readers to many markets and are not confined to a set client base like campus card providers. Thus they can produce higher volumes of readers while reducing production costs. Lawrence says that the reduced unit costs enables campuses to equip twice as many machines and increase revenues from vending commissions. Apriva, however, does not consider itself a competitor to the campus card companies because it has partnered with most of them to provide gateway services via its card reader. Readers recognize if a transaction should

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Spring 2016

be routed to a campus card server or to MasterCard and Visa. “There is a lot of data and many testimonials to support the idea that accepting debit and credit cards does not cannibalize student card transactions,” says Lawrence. “There is room for both cards because each of them offers its own value. Stored-value or closed-loop cards are not going away any time soon.” Campuses do not want some points of sale to accept credit and debit cards, such as low-ticket items like printing and copying, Lawrence adds. “And some campuses do not want to pay credit card interchange and

to meet the needs of the campus. Open payments allow students greater access and don’t limit visitors on campus.” Sami Takieddine, director of operations for e-commerce solutions at the CBORD Group, says more and more of their partner campuses say they want both payment options. CBORD’s vending readers can now accommodate both models. But there’s still a strong case to be made for closed-loop, declining balance accounts. “CBORD still today sells vending readers that only accept the campus card,” says Takieddine. “Because of concerns over the Payment Card Industry’s (PCI) rigorous security standards for organizations that handle branded credit or debit cards, some campuses steer clear of open loop payments.” Takieddine says he has seen a recent resurgence in closed-loop campus cards as colleges and universities realize the transaction costs associated with credit and debit cards. “Some schools did the math and began putting more effort into encouraging their community to remain in

THERE IS A LOT OF DATA AND MANY TESTIMONIALS TO SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT ACCEPTING DEBIT AND CREDIT CARDS DOES NOT CANNIBALIZE STUDENT CARD TRANSACTIONS processing fees, which can be as much as 3% per transaction.” Fred Emery, director of sales for Heartland Campus Solutions, says the recent shift from closed-loop, proprietary readers to include open payment platforms that integrate campus cards with credit and debit cards should not be perceived as a threat to either campuses or campus card vendors. “From a financial perspective, I’d say it’s six of one, a half dozen of the other,” says Emery. “The trend toward open payments does not hurt our bottom line. We always work to provide the best possible solution

the closed loop,” he says. “Some campuses thought they would make more money by opening transactions up to credit and debit cards, but many are realizing the fees are costing them money.” The closed-loop versus open-loop argument continues, and the hybrid approach seems likely to prevail for the foreseeable future. “If you ask the students about closedloop versus open-loop payments, they’re likely to say they like open-loop,” Takieddine says. “But if you ask campus administrators, they’re likely to say closed-loop.”

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CR80News

Recarding the Bearcats

45,000 pre-printed contactless cards with transit tie-in issued at University of Cincinnati Recarding a campus is never a small task. It’s a process that takes time, demands the attention of multiple campus stakeholders, and requires careful planning to ensure that the change of credential goes smoothly for both students and the institution. Thankfully, institutions don’t have to go it alone. That’s the major takeaway for the University of Cincinnati, who recently updated its campus credential with the help of ColorID.

TIME FOR CHANGE The campus wanted to move from a mag stripe only credential to a card with both mag stripe and a contactless chip. “The primary reasons for issuing new IDs is to provide increased security and

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Spring 2016

improved functionality,” explains Diane Brueggemann, technical services manager at the University of Cincinnati. For Cincinnati, a university with a large population, challenges included logistics and staffing for mass card distribution events. “We were able to overcome these challenges because we included all major stakeholders – including student government representatives – on the recarding committee,” says Brueggemann. The university wanted a more secure contactless technology card to upgrade physical access readers and integrate with the local Cincinnati METRO system, says Tim Nyblom, director of the education group at ColorID. “Their overarching goal was to find a single card that could accomplish all of this.”

The new cards include DESFire EV1 contactless chips that facilitate access throughout the campus’ network of HID readers and Blackboard access control and point-of-sale readers, says Nyblom.

TEAM EFFORT Cincinnati enlisted the help of ColorID to provide cardstock and assist in the issuance process for the university’s 45,000 active cardholders. ColorID worked with HID Global to provide pre-printed contactless cards that were pre-encoded with custom transit credentials to meet the SPX Genfare specifications for the SORTA system, explains Todd Brooks, director of product management at ColorID. The ColorID service bureau personalized the initial 45,000 cards adding cardholder photos and personal information. Before shipping to campus, the mag stripes were encoded and two applications were programmed into the DESFire EV1 Chip. Cards were sorted and then shipped per preset preferences established to ease onsite distribution. The full recarding process took about three and a half months and concluded in the fall of 2015, explains Nyblom. “There were many months of additional planning, testing and creating samples that took place well before the recarding project could begin,” he explains. “The 45,000 cards preprinted by ColorID consisted of registered students, active faculty, staff and affiliates,” says Brueggemann. To ease the distribution burden, the university held two separate distribution events – one for faculty and staff credentials and a second for students. In total, the university ordered 65,000 cards from ColorID, with 45,000 being used for the initial recarding project. “The remaining 20,000 cards are Cincy’s base, pre-printed cardstock that will be kept on campus for normal card office distribution,” explains Nyblom. Following the initial distribution event, all cards are now produced on demand in the card office. For these cards, only the back portion is pre-printed while the front is personalized at the point of issuance. “Cincy chose a reverse-transfer printer, which allows them to print a very high quality card, similar to how a pre-printed card may look,” explains Brooks.

Another challenge was getting all of the credentials on to the card. “Applications have specific methods for encoding credentials on a chip and they may not coincide. You have to determine which applications can be pre-encoded versus encoded in the printer or at the desktop,” explains Brooks. “Since Cincy is issuing randomized ISO numbers, pre-encoding was not a viable option. We pre-encoded the transit portion and then added the access control and the Blackboard application data at the desktop.” The final hurdle came in the form of working with older systems and processes. Cincinnati had multiple legacy access control systems so an individual’s images, biometric templates and ID numbers from the previous cards were held as records in different systems, explains Brooks. This created the need to encode the legacy access application using a desktop encoder.

TROUBLESHOOTING

MANY HANDS, LIGHT WORK

Projects the size of Cincinnati’s are rarely without their challenges, but with a comprehensive plan and the support of an experienced vendor, the challenges can be managed. “The biggest challenge was correctly encoding the transit portion of the cards,” says Brooks. “We spent several months working with all parties involved – including the university, the card manufacturer, the transit equipment manufacturer and the transit authority – to make sure the encoding was done correctly.”

“From a secure suite at our headquarters in North Carolina, our service bureau is equipped to personalize ID cards for projects large and small,” explains Brooks. “We are experienced with a wide range of card technologies, back end systems, hardware and software.” At Cincinnati, the company facilitated and managed a great deal of the recarding project. “Their expertise and experience was essential to making this project a success,” says Brueggemann.

THEY WANTED CONTACTLESS TECH TO BETTER SECURE PHYSICAL ACCESS AND INTEGRATE WITH THE LOCAL CINCINNATI METRO SYSTEM. THE OVERARCHING GOAL WAS TO FIND A SINGLE CARD THAT COULD ACCOMPLISH ALL OF THIS.

Spring 2016

CR80News

Five steps to upgrading residence hall physical security ANGELO FAENZA, GENERAL MANAGER, PERSONA AND VP CAMPUS SECURITY SOLUTIONS, ASSA ABLOY DOOR SECURITY SOLUTIONS

As colleges and universities are faced with the challenges of securing their campuses, there is inevitably, and unfortunately, a need to prioritize activities based on the available budget. Though this may seem like an impossible choice to make campuses need to ask themselves, “What is most important to protect?” The answer is, of course, the students. While every member of a campus community is critical to the institution’s success, students are its core. Students and their families trust the college or university to provide a safe and enriching environment in which they can learn and grow. As such, any discussion about security on a college campus must begin with the residence halls. This is the place that students call home while on campus, and it should offer the same sense of security as any other home.

A GOOD STARTING POINT If you work at an institution of higher learning, whether large or small, urban or rural, you know that the decision to upgrade security is one that is never made lightly. In fact, the process can be truly overwhelming, one that starts with lots of questions that often lead to even more questions. Where should you start? How many buildings can be upgraded at once? Should the upgrade be campus-wide or should it be done in phases? Finally, and perhaps most importantly, what sort of technology should be deployed? Before we delve into these questions, it is important to acknowledge that every campus is unique. For that reason, there are no absolute, one-size-fits-all rules when it comes to upgrading security. There are, however, a number of guidelines used by many institutions.

STEP 1: SELECT THE BEST PARTNER

The first and often most critical step in your upgrade will be your selection of partners. As is the case with almost any purchase, any manufacturer you speak with will focus the conversation on the benefits of the products and solutions they offer. That’s his job. Your job, however, is to dig deeper by asking questions. To get those conversations started, request details on the company’s support offerings. Ask for examples of challenges encountered during the installation process and how they were addressed and resolved. Another important area to probe is whether or not the company will work directly with the integrator to ensure that you can quickly overcome issues as they occur. Regardless of the question you’re asking, follow up by asking for examples. Then take it a step further and ask for references. You wouldn’t hire an employee without speaking to people who have experience working with the individual, and it’s not wise

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Spring 2016

to select something as important as a security solution without the same degree of scrutiny.

STEP 2: TIMING

The next area to consider is timing. It’s important to map out a comprehensive schedule, which will of course be influenced by whether you’re upgrading all at once or in phases. Regardless, the scheduling of an upgrade has become more complex as colleges are increasingly using their residence halls to house summer conference attendees and other campus visitors. That’s all but rendered the long summer breaks that were perfect for maintenance and improvement projects a thing of the past. To make the most of the time you do have, schedule at the granular level, calculating how many locks will be installed per day. With the proper communications and respect for students’ time and space, it is even feasible to upgrade security with the students present in the resident halls.

STEP 3: FUTURE PROOFING

Even though you’re just starting, now is the time to think about the upgrade path. Technology changes rapidly and more so every day. As you know by now, upgrading the security in any building is a major undertaking, one you likely don’t want to repeat in a couple of years when you discover that the technology has become obsolete. Be sure to select a solution that can support your growth and future technologies.

STEP 4: SITE SURVEY

Walk your buildings. This is critical, since looking at one door and then assuming every door is the same is a mistake that often throws an upgrade off course. A thorough walk through will alert you to a host of issues, particularly in older buildings, that may present serious challenges and even set your project back significantly if not accounted for properly.

STEP 5: BUILD A PARTNERSHIP

Finally, regardless of your security upgrade’s scope, remember that you are not just selecting a technology. You are also choosing a manufacturer and an integrator to go through the process with you, embarking on what will hopefully be a long-term and productive partnership. That’s why it’s so important that everyone shares the same objectives and works together as a team whether things are going smoothly or, more importantly, if you encounter glitches along the way. It’s those challenges that will really showcase your entire team’s commitment to the success of your upgrade. Take your time, do your due diligence and choose wisely.