BY JOSHUA VAN OSTRAND
ONE Cards are going to be used for more than just your student number, thanks to a Condor Cash program starting this fall. With the new system, students will be able to load money into an account tied to their ONE Card and use that money for purchases on Conestoga campuses much like a debit card.
However, unlike a debit card, there will be no fees to use the card according to Andrea Stevenson, ONE Card manager. The only costs to students will be the ones already associated with the cards.
“It will give students the ability, if they choose, to put funds onto their ONE Cards and use them for on-campus purchasing. It’s simple, fast and convenient. (Students) are carrying around their card anyway. We’re just trying to make life really simple for them.”
According to Stevenson, students will be able to load their cards through a web portal. They will be able to deposit between $25 and $1,000 in any one transaction, but can also add more money at other times.
“The web portal will be a site that (students) hit that will allow them to deposit funds. They can also share that with parents and significant others if someone else wants to load funds for them onto their cards.
“They’ll also have the ability to load funds onto their cards through any of the book stores on our campuses so there are a few options for loading funds.”
“I think it’s a good idea,” said Jacob Martin, a second-year journalism broadcast student. “People would be more inclined to use it with the program. Right now it’s just sort of an identification card more than anything. I feel like if it had more functions on it then students might actually use it.”
Through the web portal, students will also be able to suspend the use of their card if it was lost or stolen. They can also get help with this by going to the ONE Card office located in Rm. 2E08 at the Doon campus.
At the end of their time at Conestoga College, students will be able to get a refund of any money in their ONE Card accounts.
“We’re always looking for feedback to stay up-to-date on the initiative,” said Stevenson. “We’re going to be doing a bunch of promotions and there will hopefully be discounts that some of our vendors may offer, express lines or some neat little perks.”
For more information, visit the ONE Card website at www.conestogac.on.ca/onecard/.
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