Hillsborough CC Launches First Campus Card Program
- By Dian Schaffhauser
- 03/01/10
After a five-year delay, Hillsborough Community College in the Tampa Bay, FL area will be introducing its first multifunctional identification card. The college will be using Heartland Payment Systems' Campus OneCard to launch the "Hawk Card" to provide the campus community with a cashless mechanism for accessing services on and off campus.
The first phase of the project will encompass photo ID, library services, and printing/copying, as well as building access at student housing. Users will also be able to make purchases at campus bookstores and dining locations; and do transactions at off-campus merchants. The service allows students to monitor their accounts online, add dollars, and review transactions.
The university expected to issue about 30,000 cards on one campus in February then roll it out to four additional campuses over time.
Campus auxiliary services will handle administration of the card. The campus may charge a small semester fee to cover the staff needed to manage the card program, according to a presentation made to the board of trustees.
The idea of a campus card was first introduced in October 2004. Seminole State College, another Florida college, also uses the card program.
About the Author
Dian Schaffhauser is a former senior contributing editor for 1105 Media's education publications THE Journal, Campus Technology and Spaces4Learning.