UH is issuing a new identification card for all faculty, staff and students beginning this summer.
Faculty and staff members will be notified by representatives of their respective departments by the College/Division Administrators as to when they will receive their new cards. Students will receive notification e-mails and will be able to pick up their new cards at the Cougar Card office by presenting proper government ID.
No fee will be required for the new Cougar Card, but the $6 per semester UH ID maintenance fee will continue to be billed to students in their PeopleSoft accounts.
‘During the fall semester, we will begin [printing] the bulk of student cards,’ Cougar Card office manager Deborah Marks said.
The new change is occurring to separate the black Higher One card from the University ID.
Most of the Cougar 1Card’s functions will be transferred to the new card, including access to buildings, enrollment verification, meal plan, Cougar Cash accounts and general campus computing/printing lab access.
With the exception of the Cougar Card’s ability to function as a debit card, the new Cougar Card will function virtually the same. But some students show resistance to this dropped feature, because they like the convenience of using the University ID as a debit card.
‘I like the current card,’ sports administration junior Yava N. Williams said. ‘Most people I’ve talked to have agreed. I make debit purchases with it all the time. The current card is more convenient.’
Once the new ID card is activated, all cash balances will be transferred to the new card. However, the new Cougar Card will not contain third-party banking information.
‘I (will) feel more secure knowing my student ID doesn’t have my banking system,’ political science junior Salman Lioani said. ‘I use my card for purchases very often.’
Higher One will continue to vend certain disbursements, and the Higher One card will still be able to make purchases and be used at point of sale terminals, but will not function as an ID.
For more information, contact the Cougar Card office at 713-743-2273.
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