Beginning this summer, Near Field Communication and magnetic strip identification cards will be issued.
NFC is a technology similar to radio frequency identification. Incoming students will receive the new card during new student registration. Returning students, staff and faculty will be given the option to receive their cards during the beginning weeks of the fall 2015 semester. Changes to printing on campus will also be effected.
In a presentation to the University of Wisconsin-Platteville Student Senate on April 27, Heather Faherty, a project manager for the Project Management Center of Excellence, explained that there would not be a direct, out-of-pocket cost when obtaining the card, unlike the current ID card system. Much of the cost associated with this project was paid for by Student Technology Advisory Committee funds.
All new students will be receiving this card, and while it is encouraged for returning students, staff and faculty to obtain the new NFC card, there is no penalty for those who choose not to.
More information will be released in May and again in September through email and other media. Those returning to campus will be able to get their cards beginning in late September.
Faherty also spoke about a change in printers on campus due to the campus printer reduction. This fall, seven print release stations will be placed in the Bears Den and the Karrmann Library to help control the amount of print waste. These stations will require the user to log on to the station to release his or her print queue before the document can be printed. This process will give more access to an individual’s print balances and print job costs.
As a part of the campus-wide printer reduction, the printer located in the Pioneer Information Center will be removed. This will not affect the student governance printer located in the rear of the PIC, which is only for use by groups such as Student Senate and SUFAC for official documents.