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Bookstore head defends Pocket Money elimination

By David J. Cieslak
Arizona Daily Wildcat
September 30, 1998
Send comments to:
city@wildcat.arizona.edu


[Picture]

Randy Metcalf
Arizona Daily Wildcat

Speech and hearing junior Katie Oswald uses the Pocket Money account on her CatCard to by books for class. Pocket Money will no longer be accepted at the UA bookstore starting next semester.


The UA bookstore's top administrator defended the decision not to accept CatCard Pocket Money yesterday, citing low sales and high surcharges associated with the debit system.

Figures released Monday by UA Associated Students Bookstore officials show a decrease of nearly 50 percent in the bookstore's Pocket Money sales compared with last year.

In 1997, the bookstore sold $112,712 through Pocket Money between Aug. 30 and Sept. 27. This year, Pocket Money took a hit, dropping to $58,007 for the same period.

Bookstore Director Frank Farias said since students have been depositing money on the University of Arizona CatCard's SmartChip, Pocket Money sales have fallen.

Ninety-five percent of all Pocket Money transactions take place at the bookstore.

"Pocket Money has been impacted significantly by the replacement of the CatCard (SmartChip) as a different form of payment," Farias said. "You have to accept that the consumership has gone with the CatCard."

Last week, Farias called Pocket Money "a pain to deal with," adding that it was invented to create revenue for the UA's Student Unions, and that the appeal for such a partnership with the unions is gone.

Pocket Money imposes a surcharge of 2.25 percent, as opposed to the 1.25 percent imposed by major credit card companies.

For instance, if a student spends $200 on merchandise using a major credit card, the bookstore pays about $2.30 to the lender. If the student charges the purchase to Pocket Money, however, the bookstore is charged $4.50 - nearly twice as much.

Farias also said the computer system often breaks down, leaving students and cashiers scrambling.

Student Union Director Dan Adams, who opposes the decision to eliminate Pocket Money, said last week that the bookstore computer system would not break down if transactions were linked through a direct wire instead of a single modem.

The CatCard office will stop accepting deposits for Pocket Money Oct. 15, and students who do not use all their savings before Jan. 1 will have their money refunded, CatCard Director Liz Taylor said.

The idea of a refund check didn't stop Jordan Geller yesterday from buying a Beanie Baby for his girlfriend, and a compact disc for himself.

Geller, a political science senior, said he will use cash at the bookstore once Pocket Money disappears, since all his credit cards are "maxed out." But Geller added that his parents would rather not entrust him with actual money. [Picture]

"My parents are happier about putting money in my Pocket Money account than giving me cash," Geller said.

Stephanie Bernstein said she wondered why UA officials don't make Pocket Money more efficient.

"If it's not working well, I can understand, but I think they should make the system better," said Bernstein, a media arts junior.

She said she started the semester with $150 on her account and has worked it down to $20 after buying books.

Bookstore cashier Angie McCormick said the Pocket Money system is missing several important features and is difficult to work with.

McCormick said she often has to call the Pocket Money office for technical support.

"Between 12 and 1 (p.m.), you can't even get through because they're all at lunch," she said.

McCormick said she noticed a recent increase of students buying CDs and clothes.

"They'd rather spend it than give their parents' money back," she said. "They tell you that they're trying to get it out."

McCormick said system breakdowns force cashiers to fill out "off-line sales forms" in order to charge students through the Pocket Money system.

"We try to work with them," she said. "Otherwise, they have to pay other ways."

David J. Cieslak can be reached via e-mail at David.J.Cieslak@wildcat.arizona.edu.