By: Sydney Franklin
You finally get to replace that horrific headshot from freshman year. Beginning the week of Sept. 25 all Milligan students, faculty and staff will have pictures taken for the new identification cards that will be distributed next semester.
Milligan is teaming up with the CBORD Group, a provider of campus card systems for schools like the University of Tennessee and East Tennessee State University, to develop the new secure ID system.
Students will obtain the IDs during spring registration. The swipe lock technology will enable users to check out library resources; to track attendance at chapel, the wellness center, and sporting events; and to store credit for vending machines, laundry or book vouchers.
The new identification cards will appear similar to the current cards but with higher color quality, nonlaminated exteriors and a new magnetic bar code.
An “ID Taskforce,” composed of Milligan staff appointed by then-President Don Jeanes in 2010, began discussing the options available for campus card systems last summer.
“Our current system is obsolete,” said Mark Nester, Milligan’s information technology manager. “Most schools are going to systems that are designed for the college environment.”
Milligan’s Information Technology Department maintains control over the new system through CBORD’s leading integrated ID card software called CS Gold. This allows IT to efficiently handle campus security such as auto-locking all dorms in emergency situations.
“The reason CBORD was considered was the degree of confidence ETSU has in it,” said Registrar Sue Skidmore. The system will be located in the lower McMahan Student Center in the new ID office with backup technology in the registrar’s office.
The new system will cost about $60,000 according to Jacqui Steadman, vice president for business and finance. Milligan received a private grant for the project of around $35,000, which was spent over the last fiscal year. Additional funds will come from tuition and other resources.
Because the installation of swipe lock technology on dorms and other facilities takes time, overall costs for the project remain in the air.
“So we can fund it, we have to roll it out in phases,”said Nester. “Locks are quite expensive at about $2,500 per lock.”
The IDs do not correlate with the meal plan system in the cafeteria run by Pioneer College Caterers. Students will continue scanning cards in the dining hall.
New chapel scanners will automatically upload information to the CS Gold database showing all credits and history for individual students. The last five years of chapel attendance have already been imported, according to Nester.
Until all swipe lock units are installed around campus, students will use keys for dorms and key cards for the 20 Onity access units located at the darkroom, the new Derthick nursing lab and other places.
“It will be challenging to get 1,200 IDs made,” said Nester, “but we must convey to campus how important it is to take maybe 30 seconds to retake the ID photo.”
Students can stop by the ID office to retake photos Mondays to Thursdays between 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m., and 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays.
Week: Students with last names:
9/26-9/30 A-F
10/3-10/7 G-M
1/10-10/14 N-Z
10/17-10/21 Make ups
Faculty and Staff can come any time during business hours.
admin
