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(09/07/05 12:00pm)
The College is in the process of issuing new ID cards to all students, faculty and staff in an effort to protect cardholders' Social Security Numbers (SSN) from identity theft.
The new cards, called GetIt cards, are part of the College's major project to remove SSN as an identifier on campus.
"Although we have never had a problem with identity theft on campus, we are trying to be proactive in this," Jeff Kerswill, director of user support services, said.
Each student's SSN was embedded on the magnetic strip of the old card, but with the new cards, cardholders only need to use the randomly generated 16-digit number located on the front of their card.
Brittany Symons, sophomore nursing major, said she was hesitant to use her old card at off campus locations because her SSN was embedded on it.
"Last year, I used my card for paying for gas because my card was usually my only form of money," Symons said. "I didn't really eat out a lot, but when I found out that my Social Security Number could be found from using my card, I actually stopped using it off campus altogether."
SSN had long been used to verify that the person using the card really was the person he or she claimed to be.
"Social security numbers were a driver in identifying students for financial aid, so we had to find alternative ways to identify students," Jamie Hightower, director of student financial assistance, said.
Information Technology and Student Financial Services worked together to create an alternative identification method, which became the student identification numbers distributed two years ago. This was the College's first step toward protecting students against identity theft.
Last year, the College made the next step by stopping outside vendors from asking for SSN when cardholders used the card at off-campus locations.
The new cards are the final step in ensuring students' safety against identity theft.
With the GetIt card, students have a variety of uses, including over 25 off-campus vendors and a number of places on campus , such as the bookstore, health services, dining halls, the library and telecommunications.
The GetIt card has the ability to include even more features in the future.
"Jeff (Kerswill) and I had a conversation about how more schools are moving toward dispersing financial aid refunds right onto students' ID cards and being about to use that card somewhat like a debit card," Hightower said. "We are working on a project plan in order to move in that direction as well."
"I like the new card because of the fact that my social security number isn't on it," Symons said. "I also like using it as a credit card at certain places, but I don't like the appearance of the new cards because I feel like if I dropped it, it wouldn't be as noticeable as the yellow ones."
In the event that the card is lost or stolen, students should contact the online card office at tcnj.edu/idcard immediately.
All students are required to switch to the new card by Oct. 31. Every Wednesday from Sept. 14 to Oct. 26, cardholders also can get new photographs taken at no charge.
Cardholders who want to keep their old card may do so by bringing it with them when they get their new card to have it deactivated. However, there is a $10 fee for not handing in an old card.
There are other benefits besides saving $10 for those who turn their cards in.
"When you turn your old card in, you are entered into drawings for an iPod Shuffle and various other prizes from outside vendors," Kerswill said.
For more information about the GetIt card and its uses, to check your card's balance, or to report lost or stolen cards, visit tcnj.edu/idcard.
(03/23/05 12:00pm)
The Student Government Association (SGA) presented a referendum on stem cell research during its meeting on March 16.
David Coates, vice president of Government Relations at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, David Moscatello of the Coriell Institute for Medical Research and Kathleen E. Walters, Director of Constituency Outreach in New Jersey all spoke at the referendum.
Coates said that New Jersey leads the way in stem cell research, thanks to funding from the American Medical Association, the National Academy of Sciences and the National Institute of Medicine.
Through this funding and a $150 million initiative proposed by Gov. Richard Codey, the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey was created as a branch of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and Rutgers University.
This institution will be used to research adult, fetal and embryonic stem cells.
"In August of 2001, when President Bush addressed the nation, he introduced a limited ability to investigate stem cell research. That promise has all gone south," Coates said, "They (the Federal government) talked about 78 stem cells, but there are 22. All 22 are in a solution and it makes the cells no good. So where does that leave us? That leaves the states."
Moscatello explained that stem cell research is not illegal, as some people believe. He said, "New Jersey legislation 'legalized' embryonic stem cell research in January 2004. I say legalized in quotes because embryonic stem cell research has never actually been illegal. It's just that the National Institute of Health will not fund any embryonic stem cell research except for those talked about by President Bush."
Stem cells are unspecialized cells that are capable of renewing themselves. They divide to produce more stem cells and can become more specialized to carry out specific functions in the body.
Embryonic stem, the type of cells that most interest the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey, are cells that come from early embryos. These cells can produce all the different cells in an adult body. They are commonly associated with invitro fertilization clinics.
"When someone goes into a fertility clinic, a woman's eggs are fertilized in a dish and some of these early embryos are implanted into the womb and the rest are frozen for potential future use. If the parents give permission, they can be used for embryonic stem cell research," Moscatello said.
Walters emphasized that with institutions like the Stem Cell Institute, medical breakthroughs could change the way diseases are treated.
"Stem cell research is about hope for finding cures to diseases including diabetes, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and heart disease. Similar to organ donation, these cells fill an urgent medical need that can save millions of lives," she said.
Coates especially hopes that stem cells treatment will become common practice in the United States because his 12-year-old son, Charlie, has type one diabetes.
"My motivation to be here today is that I want my son to live as long as I do and if you know people who are afflicted with a variety of conditions, I'm sure you would want the best for them too."
Those interested in getting involved with raising awareness of stem cell research can e-mail Walters at kathleen.walters@gov.state.nj.us or call (609)777-2518 for more information.
(02/16/05 12:00pm)
Due to a glitch in the Carte Blanche dining system, some students with Plan C, which does not offer unlimited access to Eickhoff Dining Hall before 11 a.m., thought that they were getting free breakfast for the first few weeks of the semester. However, Sodexho Dining Services, the company that supplies all food on campus, discovered the glitch and will deduct points from students who received free breakfasts during that time.
With Carte Blanche Plan C, students may eat in Eickhoff between the hours of 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. without the deduction of any of their $150 in points, which they can spend at other dining locations. If the student enters before 11 a.m., $3.75 is deducted from his or her point total.
However, from the start of the Spring 2005 semester until Feb. 2 - a total of 17 days - students with Plan C had their cards swiped into Eickhoff without being charged $3.75.
"There was an error made in setting up the meal plans for the students which gave students unlimited access similar to Carte Blanche Plans A and B," John Higgins, general manager of Dining Services, said. "The College caught the mistake and changed it to the way it should have been."
As a result, those who thought they got free breakfasts will have points deducted according to the number of times they entered Eickhoff Dining Hall before 10:30 a.m. on weekdays during the 17-day period.
"What we're going to do is see who was on Plan C and swiped in before 11 a.m., multiply every time they swipe by $3.75 and notify the students that we will take it off their points," Mark Mehler, assistant director of Auxiliary Services, said.
He and Higgins decided not to include weekends when charging students for the error. Mehler said the problem cost Sodexho an estimated $1,800.
"I was just fishing around and discovered it," Mehler said. "The registers are connected to the campus network and from my computer, I can run all different kinds of reports. The reports show what people are on which plans and the register activity. I was able to compare the two."
"If you see the activity, there is a group of 15 to 20 students who were doing it almost every day," Mehler said.
Matt Snyder, sophomore journalism major, said he has Plan C but did not notice the problem. "I had no idea this was going on," he said. "I have never gone to Eickhoff before 11 a.m. because I didn't want to spend the extra money to get in. I always considered it a waste."
Ashley Tully, freshman communications major, who also has Plan C, agreed.
"(Breakfast) is not covered by my meal plan and I don't feel it to be worth the money in order to eat a bowl of cereal just because I'm 30 minutes early, before 11 a.m," she said.
Although Snyder is unaffected by it, he said the corrective point deduction seems unfair. "I don't think Sodexho should be reimbursed for the money. They should have been the ones to keep on top of it," he said.
The glitch has not deterred Sodexho from considering Carte Blanche again next year, Higgins said.