From Backoffice
to Campuswide
A look at
West Texas A&M University’s
OneCard Program
Audience Survey
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Photo ID Card?
Meal Plans?
Copy Card?
Laundry?
Vending?
Door Access?
WTAMU History
• Pre 1998
– Photo ID: PVC card with Polaroid picture and
semester validation sticker
• Made and validated at the Registrar’s office
– Meal Card: Laminated card
• Made and distributed by Residential Living
– Library: Validations Sticker
• Activated by the Library
WTAMU History
• Pre 1998
– Copy Card: Paper with magnetic strip
• Sold by the Library
– Activity Center Pass: Validation Sticker
• Activated at the Activity Center
– Athletic Pass: Paper punch card
• Passed out at registration
Concept…
One Card
Getting Started
• Scope
– Implement a One Card System to
• Consolidate various cards and passes
• Consolidate various functions and duties into one
stop shop.
• Fully automate validation based on enrollment
• Extend Debit card functionality to vending, laundry,
copies, and food service
• Ultimately enhance students’ campus experience
Getting Started
• How would we measure success?
– Reliability
– Entire campus covered by our reader network
– Having $10-$15k in average daily deposits
Timeline
Timeline
• Mid 199? The idea begins – ONE
Card…
• Mid 1996 – Working committee formed
• Mid 1997 - Bid is awarded
• Jan 1998 – Installed system
• Feb-July 1998 – Tested and installed all
readers
• Fall 1998 – Re-card 8000 Students,
Faculty and Staff
Getting Started
• Five person working committee formed in
1996
• Working committee charge:
– Investigate other schools and systems
– Campuswide needs assessments
– Write an RFP
– Review vendors
– Make recommendation
– Chair implementation Subcommittees
Implementation Subcommittees
• ID Office
• Card Design and
Marketing
• Financial
• Building Access
• Meal Plan/Food
Service
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Library
Event/Access
Computer Interface
Infrastructure
Implementation Concerns
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Functional, Reliable and Added Value
Project Phases
Centralized or Decentralized operations
Organizational Structure
Card Office Personnel
Infrastructure
Re-carding
Interfaces with other systems
Implementation Phases
• Phase 1
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ID Production
Meal Plans
Food Court POS
Library Circulation
Student Voting
Activity Access
Medical Service
• Phase II
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Bookstore
Vending
Copy Services
Laundry
Ticket Sales
Library Fines
• Phase 3
– Residential Access
– Facilities Access
Chose to do both phase 1 & 2 together.
Centralize Vs. Decentralize
• Decentralized
– Pros
• No New FTE
– Cons
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Existing staff already had a full load
Communication difficult
Hard to implement new ideas
Training issues
Database management
Easy to finger point
Centralize Vs. Decentralize
• Centralization
– Cons
• At least two FTE required
– Pros
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Central administration of system
Consolidate Job responsibilities
Frees other department resources
Improves overall program consistency
Provides one-stop-shopping
Organizational Structure
Director of Budgets, Payroll and Reporting
And Assistant to the VP of Business and Finance
ID Card Adiministrator
1 FTE
Account Asst.
1 FTE
Assistant Office Manager
1 FTE
Card Office Personnel
• ID Card Office Administrator
– Responsible for ID Department
– Database system administration
– Manage Subcontractors
– Coordinate with all Departments
• Assessment
• Implementation
• Training
– Troubleshooting and repair
Card Office Personnel
• Office Manager
– Manage the office
– Design and implement
Office procedures
– Document procedures
– Cross train on all
equipment
– Customer Service
• Account Assistant
– Customer Service
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ID Card Production
Deposits
Statements
Office help
– Off-Campus Merchant
• Recruitment
• Customer Service
• Reconciliation
Infrastructure
Concerns
• Protocols Supported
– TCP/IP
– RS 232
– RS 485
• Media Supported
– Copper
– Fiber
• Considerations
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Network Vs Line Drivers
Network Stability
IT Support
Ease of Troubleshooting
Equipment Needed
Separation of Networks
• Assess your needs
Interface Concerns
• Need to interface with your Student
Information System?
• Need to interface with your financial
system?
Operational Concerns
• Campus centered location for ID Office
• Provide good Customer Service
• Office Documentation and Polices
– Lost cards
– Account closures
– Access to cash…
• Marketing
Buffalo Gold Card Today
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Official WTAMU Identification
Activity Card – Games, Activities Center
Copy Card
Library Card
Meal Plans
Door Access
BuffCash
BuffCash
On-Campus Locations
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Bookstore
Business Office
University Police Dept
Food Court
Cafeteria
Vending Machines
Laundry Centers
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Copy Machines
Microfiche Machines
Cornett Library
Activities Center
Bowling Alley
Athletic Events
Hastings Electronic
Learning Center
BuffCash Off-Campus
• 52 Merchants
– Grocery Stores
– Convenience Stores
– Automotive
– Pharmacy
– Computer Repair
– UPS Shipping Center
– Bookstores
– Hair Salons
– Tanning
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Restaurants
Bakery
Car Wash
Cell phone Companies
Florists
Gifts Stores
Recreation
On-Line Card Office
WWW.Buffalogoldcard.com
• Virtual Card Office providing
– Deposits by parents and students
– Account Balance
– Transaction Review
– Deactivation of Cards
– Office Policies and Procedures
– Featured Merchants and Specials
BuffCash Statistics
$1,600,000
$1,500,000
$1,400,000
$1,300,000
$1,200,000
$1,100,000
$1,000,000
$900,000
$800,000
$700,000
$600,000
$500,000
$400,000
$300,000
$200,000
$100,000
$0
Deposits
Sales
Off-Campus Sales
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Marketing the Card
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Tri-fold Brochure
Posters
Video
Promotions
– Giveaways
– Prize Donations
– Drawings
• Mail-outs
– Letters
– Deposit Envelopes
– Post-Cards
• Special Promotions
– Christmas in October
– Mid-Term Moo-lah
– Bookstore, Food
Court, Off-Campus
Check List for Success
• Get your University Administration’s
Support.*
– Talk dollars and cents
• Cost Savings
– Checks
– Man-hours
– Return on Investment
*By getting your Administrations support first, it will be easier to win support from
other departments
Check List for Success
• Get your University Administration’s
Support.
– Talk dollars and cents
• Accountability
– Vending
– Laundry
– Athletics…
Check List for Success
• Get your University Administration’s
Support.
– Talk dollars and cents
• Increase Revenue
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Off Campus Merchants – Commission 4-10% of Sales
Percentage of On Campus Card Sales - %
Float on Deposits to the University
Better Accountability on Vending, Laundry and Copy
Services
– Office Card Sales – Badges, Lost Card Fee…
Check List for Success
• Get your University Administration’s
Support.
– Benefits for Students
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More convenient by simplifying their life
Access to some Financial Aid quicker
Safer
Recruitment and Retention
Greater access to Services
Check List for Success
• Get your University Administration’s
Support.
– Benefits for other departments
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Better Facility Usage Reporting
Time Management
Flexible for a wide range of applications
Accountability
Cost Savings
Check List for Success
• Lobby for an independent ID Card
department
– Better to serve your card customers
– Able to work independently with all present
and future departments and organizations that
use the card
– Able to expand as needed without
Check List for Success
• Plan for the Future
– Departmental Maintenance
– Accrual Revenues for replacement and
expansion
– IT Support
Check List for Success
• Market Your Card
– Marketing on a shoe string
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Brochures
Parent/Student Conferences
Campus Web site
New Media
Campus News Channel