CatCard can display more information

Wildcat File Photo Arizona Summer Wildcat UA Chief Budget Officer Dick Roberts sit on the committee that implemented a pilot program allowing faculty, students and staff to have their status printed on the face of their CatCards.

Students, faculty and staffers can now have their UA affiliations printed on the front of their CatCards - one move in a series of changes since the card's inception last spring.

The program, originally intended for faculty and staff only, was designed to evaluate the long-term need for status designation on the cards, said University of Arizona Chief Budget Officer Dick Roberts, who sits on the CatCard Executive Committee.

"Relatively few have said, 'We want faculty on our card,'" Roberts said. "We want to determine if that is the right or wrong read on the community."

Christina Rocha, CatCard office manager, confirmed Friday the pilot program also includes students.

She said students, faculty and staff members who want a new card with their status printed on the front must supply the CatCard office with a reason why they need it - what they were denied by not having it printed on the card.

Applicants also must fill out a survey, she said.

Rocha added that the option of putting the status on the card runs through Dec. 31, and depending on the university's findings, may not be available after the fall semester.

Other developments will be more permanent, though.

In response to security concerns after the illegal release of student and employee Social Security numbers last spring, the CatCard Office has offered more options to protect privacy.

Roberts said students and employees can request to use an identifier other than Social Security numbers, deactivate the microchip and/or eliminate the electronic picture and signature from the CatCard database.

Rocha added that users also can have their signature removed from the face of the card.

Despite the changes, Roberts said the CatCard committee will continue to investigate other uses for the card on the UA campus.

"The committee expects the card is an evolving entity that can adapt to the needs of the university and the cardholders," he said.

He said the school began installing cash-to-card machines six weeks ago. The machines, located in the UA unions, libraries and several dorms, allow card owners to purchase cash value, which is stored on the SmartChip.

The stored-value option, which allows people to make small purchases on campus from soda, laundry and photocopying machines without carrying cash, is aimed at convenience, UA Associate Controller Jean Johnson said Thursday.

"It is expanding the services already provided," Johnson said.