By
Christian Richardson
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Student Advantage could merge with CollegeClub.com
UA students may not be able to rely on Versity.com anymore to get copies of their class notes this semester because the company was sold.
The Web site was bought by CollegeClub.com in April last year, said Lisa Wayne, manager of public relations for CollegeClub.com. CollegeClub.com has a membership of 2.9 million members.
Online notes may be available if students request the service, Wayne said.
Versity.com paid students to take notes in their classes in about 200 schools in the United States and Canada. The Internet company started its University of Arizona service last year with 40 note takers for 50 classes.
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor undergraduate students launched the site in 1998.
Wayne said the purchase of Versity.com was not because of financial struggles.
However, Luke Denmon, former campus operations manager for Versity.com, said Versity.com was losing money and has now withdrawn operations from campuses.
"I'm not sure if this is a temporary withdrawal or the end of Versity.com completely," he stated in an e-mail interview.
Versity.com employees have either taken jobs with CollegeClub.com, based in San Diego, Calif., or have found employment elsewhere, Wayne said.
CollegeClub.com will probably merge with Student Advantage, Inc., based in Boston, Wayne said.
The Student Advantage, Inc. merger will be decided in about a month, she said.
Student Advantage, Inc. provides discounts and other services. The online company provides discount cards to college students from retailers such as Amtrak and Staples.
Wayne said Student Advantage, Inc. has no interest in continuing Versity.com but likes the features of CollegeClub.com.
"As of right now, I am afraid I don't have any information due to the fact that we are re-evaluating that piece of our business," Wayne said.
Alena Smrzova, a finance sophomore, said she used Versity.com last semester for her general education classes. Smrzova said she was primarily looking for class notes when using the online service.
"It's helpful for freshmen," Smrzova said. "I wasn't taking good notes."
She added that she looked at CollegeClub.com and she did not want to use any of the company's services.
"There's nothing I would ever use," Smrzova said.
