SU students must pay more to replace lost or stolen ID cards

With the introduction of a new student ID card this semester, Syracuse University students face slightly steeper costs for replacing lost or damaged IDs.

The Office of Housing, Meal Plan, and ID Card Services began to distribute the new card, which is "smarter" than the old one, this semester, said Eileen Simmons, director of the office. In addition to the magnetic strip on the back of all SU ID cards, each new card also contains a microchip and receiver antenna for authorizing access-controlled facilities. “With this technology, we needn’t take our card out of the pocket when we use it,” she said. “ It is more convenient.”

The cards also look slightly different.  Instead of a photo of the Hall of Langauges, a panoramic image of the Carrier Dome and the Quad is stretched across the top of the card. This new style was selected from students’ designs, Simmons said.

Because of the microchip, the production cost for the new cards is $14, which is $7 more than for the old cards. As a result, the replacement charge has risen. Cardholders must now pay a $25 fee for the first replacement and a $40 fee for replacements after that. Last year, the fee was $15 for the first card and $25 for additional replacements.

Only SU's newest building, Dineen Hall, has technology that can scan the microchips.  “So it was suggested we change up our ID cards to be able to manage this,” Simmons said.

For students who do not access the law school, the microchip is irrelevant, she said. But because the office no longer produces the old ID card, every student who loses the card has to replace it with a new one.

Simmons expected that other buildings, such as Bird Library, Archbold Gymnasium and campus dining halls, would feature this technology in the future. There is no clear schedule when other buildings will use the technology, and the Office of Campus Planning, Design and Construction could not be reached for comment.

Some students said they were annoyed at the prospect of paying $25 or $40 to replace their ID card with one that has technology that they won't use.

“I hope I will not lose my card,” said Molly Malone, an art photography senior. “The fee is unreasonable.”

Angel Winston, a political science and policy studies senior, was also upset when she learned about the replacement price. “That’s ridiculous,” she said. “I cannot believe the card is so expensive.”

For Emma Lux, a freshman in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, price is just one reason that she would prefer the older style to her new card. “I like the picture on the card because it is Hall of Languages,” she said.