ID card ripoff - Casey Campbell

I am really getting upset about something here on campus. Every day I see that many students here have ID cards that are cracked, taped, broken, re-taped and chipped. Some won't even work on the mealcard-swiper things or get them into their dorms anymore. I would say that most students' cards are cracked now. The problem is that this happens naturally. I, as well as lots of other people, keep mine protected in my wallet and try my best to take care of it, but it just still seems to give in to the natural forces that occur during pulling it out, swiping, putting it back in again, etc., on a constant daily basis.

Now, the problem: this university charges a huge replacement fee for broken cards; a process that happens naturally upon daily use. I don't agree with this policy at all. The broken cards are not our fault, and we shouldn't be charged for them.

I propose that the Old Gold and Black do a survey of students to see what percentage of the student body has broken or cracked or chipped ID cards, and also see what percentage thinks that we should get new cards every year (or at the minimum, every other year). I am a junior, and have had my card for a year and a half now, and there is no way that this card is going to finish this semester and make it through my senior year. And I should not have to pay for a new one.

If the administration wants to charge me for it, just tell them to use part of the $800 tuition increase to pay for it.

Casey Campbell

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