The change, led by Auxiliary Services, will roll out over the next several years

By Julia Lankisch, Staff Writer

Auxiliary Services recently installed new sensors that will allow students to tap, rather than swipe, their ALL Cards for access to buildings on campus.

Like before, ALL Cards, which serve as Xavier’s student IDs, will still perform the same functions they have in past years, such as access to campus buildings, residence halls, events and meal plans. However, the cards also have a new look.

The shift from swipe to tap is part of a plan to phase out physical cards entirely across campus. The end goal is to reach a point within a few years where students have an ID on their cell phones that replaces ALL Cards altogether.

Contactless cards are intended to solve a host of problems for both students and Auxiliary Services. 

They allow access privileges to be changed remotely without a visit to the Mezzanine and help staff to be more prepared in the event of sudden changes to the semester’s schedule. It also prevents students from having to get a new card when the magnetic strip wears down from swiping.

For now, swipe access to buildings is still available for most students who have a currently functional ALL Card. Tap sensors are being added as supplementary access to most doors, and so far are only being used as a full substitute to swipe sensors in first-year dorms. 

Events and meal plans will also have swipe options for those who choose not to switch out their cards.

With the exception of changing residence halls, students should have the same access to any doors they usually do. Administrators expect some troubleshooting of the new system and access is expected within the first couple weeks of August as employees and students get acquainted with the cards.

First-year students and anyone living on campus will pick up their ALL Cards as they check in to their residence halls. 

Although it is not required, returning students can trade their current ALL Card for a tap-friendly card, free of charge, at Auxiliary Services in the Musketeer Mezzanine. They can also buy a new card  for $20 if they cannot turn in a functional card.

Returning students who do not immediately need a contactless or tap-capable card are encouraged to wait a couple of weeks to pick one up to allow Auxiliary Services time to distribute to the first-years and on-campus residents who require access to tap-only buildings.

Any student who chooses to upgrade to a new card also has the ability to change the photo on their ALL Card at the time that they switch.