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Broncocards are vital to campus life
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Where is that plastic sidekick that should be accompanying you on all of your ventures at Boise State? Without it you cannot receive certain incentives guaranteed to put a smile on your face after you bomb yet another test. It’s your ticket to almost every service or function available on campus; it’s your Boise State student ID card.
I’ll give you a moment to dig through your pockets right now to find it. OK, time’s up.
Why do we tend to neglect such an important and useful tool that relates to campus life? Why do we find ourselves leaving our dorm rooms without it or leaving it at random places due to carelessness? Why is the picture so much better than the one on our driver’s licenses?
Your student ID card is more than just a card; it’s a key. Any student who has participated in virtually any type of campus event should know this by now.
But there is a broader scope to the card that entails more benefits than most students may know about. For instance, there is automatically $15 allocated to your card each semester. If you use it up, it automatically gets refilled the following semester.
The clerical assistant at the Campus ID office – located at the corner of University and Lincoln (where Parking Services used to be) explained the perk more clearly.
“Every semester you get $15; you can use it only for printing, but you can add money onto the card yourself and use it as a debit card,” she said.
When asked specifically how to do so, she gave me a detailed explanation on how the Campus ID money system works. “There are two things on the card: Bronco Bucks and Meal Plans. To refill Bronco Bucks, students have to go to the Info Desk in the Student Union Building.
“Meal plans are a little
more complicated because they are broken down into two categories: on campus and commuter. Commuters must go to the Info Desk at the SUB and on campus students can refill their card at Student Housing.”
Phew. No wonder new students I talked to didn’t quite know how the system works. By calling 426-1212 or 426-4636, students can deposit money into their card’s account via phone. You may also request to have the balance refunded and mailed to your address.
I couldn’t find a freshman that knew much about the card, but a junior and business administration major named Dawn, had this to say about the student ID: “I know that it gets me into the Rec Center. It helps me make photo copies and printouts. Oh, and I also know that my printout funds don’t roll over from semester to semester which drives me crazy.”
Without the card it is not possible to get those books you neglected to buy at the Bookstore, visit the Health and Wellness Center to get rid of the flu and print revised versions of your failed essays for free – as long as you don’t fail more than $15 worth, that is.
One warning: Do not bend, fold or expose your card to excessive heat, washing or other damaging elements. That means you, art majors. Replacement fees range from $15-25.
If you should happen to, say, set it on fire, remember that you’ll need one form of identification, like a driver’s license, to get a new one. There is no charge to make name changes or replace an expired card, as long you have your original card to trade in.
If your card is lost or stolen, report it as soon as possible to the Campus ID Office by calling 426-4171 so a hold can be put on your card to prevent someone else from using it.
I know from experience that nothing comes in more handy after battling your way through a mid-term only to wind up starving with no one to turn to except Jared “The Subway Guy.” But only if you’ve remembered your student ID card.
ERIC MARTINEZ
Arbiter Staff
