Client Success Story - Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) was founded in 1893 and is a public coeducational institution in New Haven, CT, offering 115 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. As part of the Connecticut State University System, Southern offers full-time and part-time enrollment and online courses, as well as a wide range of internships, research opportunities, highly qualified faculty, and a dynamic campus life.
Campus Card System
In the summer of 2000, SCSU's Food Service was using CBORD®'s OmniACCESS™ system for meal plan access for its resident students. In the fall semester of 2000, SCSU implemented its Hoot Loot one-card concept. During this implementation, over 100 vending readers on all snack/ beverage machines were installed, and Encore card readers were installed at the bookstore, library, business office, and ticket office, as well as two off-campus businesses.
In June 2001, SCSU decided to upgrade to CBORD's Odyssey PCS™ campus-wide system. Southern wanted to offer its students, staff, and faculty a campus-wide debit account. With the prior system, services were limited to the residential campus community only. By implementing the new system, SCSU had the ability to expand services for use on Hoot Loot accounts. What began with the snack/beverage vending machines and off-campus businesses eventually expanded to include copiers, laundry, and printing.
Since installing Odyssey PCS, SCSU has experienced an increase in client deposits and vendor sales each semester. Mark Waters, University Card Office Coordinator, states that the two most notable benchmarks are "snack and beverage sales increased almost 50% the first semester that vending was installed and we have seen an average yearly increase of 5%. Client deposits increased 150% during the first academic year and are over 1 million dollars (on average) per semester. This is in part due to creating online deposit functionality using both credit cards and excess financial aid."
All students, faculty, and staff are required to carry the Hoot Loot identification card, which is required for access to residence halls and computer labs and also functions as a library card. In addition, the card serves as an optional campus debit card for purchases made on and off campus at particular locations. Another great option that Southern offers is the ability to use the Hoot Loot card as an ATM card through Connex Credit Union.
Southern Connecticut State is constantly looking at ways to streamline its processes and increase functionality for card holders. Recently it finished an interface to its student information system that allows credit card payments (and charges) to be added to a student's Hoot Loot account online.
CBORD Configuration
Southern Connecticut State University's Odyssey PCS system includes 125 online vending interface readers, six Encores for on-campus retail locations, twenty Encores for off-campus retail locations, three MICROS 3700s, plus an additional three Encores in campus dining, two MICROS 2700s in c-stores, Missouri Bookstore system interface, core cashiering system interface, Pharos Uniprint interface for print management, and copier interface.
