Budget Study Committee Report

Faculty ID Cards

Presentation Summary

1. Plastic ID exists that has all of the functionality of the student ID

Features now available:

• Picture ID
• Debit card:
  • Tech Express (40+ on campus sites & 50+ off campus vendors)
    • Google: Techexpress: nice website
  • Meal Plan: discount but up front fee
• Rec Center Admittance
• Library card

How to get it:

• Free w/ Tech Express, Meal Plan or SRC membership
• $5.00 otherwise.
• Apply at ID Section downstairs in room 104 Student Union Bldg.
• Apply at Rec Center (in association with membership)

2. Other Uses

• Health Card
  • Issued by Health Select & First Care to all state employees
  • Pharmacies, doctors & other health care providers want a COPY
  • Not enough room on card for printed information
• University Credit Card
  • 2 forms: Purchasing/Procurement Card & Travel Card
  • Both are issued by JP Morgan Chase (negotiated contract)
  • TTU Purchasing would have to upgrade computer processing & personnel and felt that fraud & identity theft would increase
  • Issue of how to manage multiple accounts on one card
• Barnes & Noble Coffee Card
  • Might be possible, but would have to be approved by corporate office
• State Tax Exempt Card
  • Not a good idea since the ID is for both personal & business use and the tax exempt card is only for official university business
• Faculty Lounge Key Card
  • Complicated & Expensive: $1,500 + $1.50/card

Notes on Faculty Identification Cards

Current available features of the faculty plastic ID card include:

• Faculty currently may have a plastic photo ID made at the ID/TechExpress Office located in Room 104 in the Student Union Building or at the Student Recreation Center (if membership is desired). There is no charge for the ID if individuals are starting a TechExpress,meal plan account, or membership at the Rec Center. There is a $5 charge for faculty ID's if none of the above services are used. Once the ID is obtained faculty can have the information on their university library card transferred to the photo ID and the paper library card may be destroyed.
• ID/TechExpress maintains a web site with a wealth of information on how to get the ID, set up and manage money accounts, and places where it can be used. See for details including the following:

On-campus Student Access (Place links to all locations on campus)

• Robert H. Ewalt Student Recreation and Aquatic Center
• Library
• ATLC in the basement of the Library
• Architecture Library in the Architecture Building
• Dining Bucks at Dining Halls, Sam's Place and The Market
• Access into Residence Halls
• Student Health Services at Thompson Hall
• Student Health Services Pharmacy at Thompson Hall
• United Spirit Arena for access into men's and women's basketball games
• Jones SBC Football Stadium for access into football games
• Dan Law Field for access into baseball games
• Library Printexpress
• Student Union Ticket Booth

On-campus TechExpress

• Student Union Ticket Booth
• Hulen/Clement Dining Hall
• Horn/Knapp Dining Hall
• Gordon/Bledsoe/Sneed Dining Hall
• The Market at Stangel/Murdough
• Sam's Place at Carpenter/Wells
• Sam's Place at Chitwood/Weymouth
• Sam's Place at Sneed Hall
• Sam's Place at Wall/Gates
• Kiosk at Law School
• Union Bistro in the Student Union
• Smart Choices in the Student Union
• Union Plaza in the food court at the Student Union
• CopyTech at West Hall
• Student Health Services Pharmacy at Thompson Hall for prescriptions
• Outdoor Pursuits Center at Robert H. Ewalt Recreation Center
• Fitness/Wellness Center at Robert H. Ewalt Recreation Center
• Landscape Architecture computer lab in the Plant and Soil Science Building
• Architecture computer lab in the Architecture Building
• Texas Tech Bookstore
• Crossing Cafe at University Medical Center
• Health Sciences Center Bookstore
• High Tech Computer Store in the Student Union
• Student Business Services in Room 163 of Drane Hall
• The Rawls Golf Course
• Skyviews of Texas Tech
• Concession stands at Jones SBC Stadium, Dan Law Field, & United Spirit Arena
• Reese Center Bookstore

Off-campus TechExpress (see website above)

PROPOSED features/uses of the faculty ID card:

 (A) Health insurance card

The Benefits Office of Human Resources was consulted.  TTU currently has two health insurance plans:  HealthSelect and First Care.  Cards are issued to subscribing faculty from these companies. It is not currently feasible tocombine such a health insurance card with the Faculty ID because:

•         The Health Cards are issued by an entity other than TTU
•         The Health Plans are negotiated by the State of Texas to all state employees (not solely higher education employees)

Any combination of these two cards would need to be initiated and agreed upon at the state level.  It may be possible to negotiate a separate agreement for Texas Tech faculty, but it is highly improbable at this point.  The State of Texas currently negotiates with the two companies above on behalf of many thousands of employees state-wide. Further research is necessary, and at the state level.

(B) University credit card

Kay Wall, Section Manager in the TTU Purchasing Department, was consulted.  There are currently two forms of credit cards available to faculty:  A Purchasing/Procurement card and a Travel Card.  Both cards are currently issued by an off-campus entity, JP Morgan Chase.

•         The Purchasing Card is to be used for officially approved, tax-exempt university purchases and functions like a regular credit card.  However, no tax is to be charged when the card is used. No credit check is done on the card holder.  There are daily spending limits and limits to purchase amounts.  Each month's statement is reconciled at the department level and by TTU Purchasing.  Any TTU employee is eligible for this card, but departmental approval is required for issuance.  These cards are audited monthly, and purchases are sometimes "spot checked" by TTU for potential misuse.
•         The Travel Card is for all aspects of official, university-related travel by approved university employees -- airfare, automobile rental, hotel accommodations, meals - while on official university business.  The card holder's credit is examined by the issuer as a condition of issuing the card.  The monthly statement comes to the cardholder's personal address.  Expenses charged to this card are to be reimbursed at the department level.  Any lateness of payment or non-payment will affect the cardholder's personal credit rating. Any TTU employee is eligible for this card, but departmental approval is required for issuance.

Since these cards are issued by an outside entity, any combination of a faculty ID card with them would necessarily have to be negotiated with and issued by that credit company. In both of the above cases, cards are to be used for official school business - not personal use.

If a new, combination university credit/ID card would be approved for TTU faculty, it is possible that upgrades in computer processing, more personnel, or a combination of both would be necessary, if TTU Purchasing were to oversee the program. TTU Purchasing also felt that such a card could lead to an increase in identity theft and fraud.

(C) Barnes & Noble coffee club card

The Barnes and Noble Coffee Club Card is a punch card system, which is incompatible with a regular credit card. A new system would have to be developed and approved by the Barnes and Noble Corporation. Contact would need to be made on that level. Barnes and Noble does accept TechExpress for payment for anything in the store and at Starbucks.  Any kind of a new combination ID card would have to be approved by the corporate office, but may be possible.

(D) State tax exempt card.

Kay Wall, Section Manager in the TTU Purchasing Department, was consulted.  Texas Tech currently issues tax-exempt cards, approved by the State of Texas, for official school use.   These cards are to be used in combination with the Purchasing and Travel Cards examined above.  The Travel Department issues tax-exempt cards for use with the Travel Card, and TTU Purchasing issues a tax-exempt card to be used with the Purchasing Card. It was noted that since a university credit card/faculty ID could also be for personal use, tax-exemption becomes a non-issue or a complicated issue.  Tax-exemption only applies to official, university related business. Any personal use credit card is, of course, subject to state tax.