PolyCard Campus Recard Initiative - Spring 2005
Frequently Asked Questions

1. When will the new PolyCard be available?

   A new, pre-printed PolyCard will be issued to every faculty, staff, non-graduating student, and emeritus at no charge beginning June 1, 2005 at the PolyCard Office (Campus Dining Light House Atrium – Bldg. 19, Room 106F). Pickup will continue throughout Summer Quarter 2005 and into Fall Quarter 2005.

   Marketing efforts will commence in April 2005, covering a wide range of venues. For communication plan details, click here.

2. Am I required to get a new PolyCard?

   To comply with California legislation (SB25 and AB3016) and CSU Chancellor’s Office directives (HR-2005-07), Cal Poly is no longer permitted to use a magnetically encoded social security number on the campus identification card (PolyCard) after June 30, 2005.

   To meet this requirement and schedule and to achieve full compliance, Cal Poly’s PolyCard Office is embarking on a campus-wide initiative designed to replace all existing cards with a new PolyCard that does not use a magnetically encoded social security number for identification purposes.

   The cutover of campus services to the new PolyCard will occur on June 13, 2005. After that date, all supported PolyCard services (e.g. vending, Campus Express Club, Robert E. Kennedy Library) will not be permitted to use, nor will they function, with the Social Security number embedded on the magnetic stripe.

   Individuals who will be using PolyCard support services must get a new PolyCard.

3. Is a new PolyCard photo required?

   IMPORTANT NOTE: Individuals who are still using older PolyCards (e.g. white cardstock with the Social Security number printed on the front) need to have their photo taken for the new PolyCard by May 13, 2005. These cards were issued years ago and we do not have all photographs on file from this legacy system to produce a new PolyCard.

   Individuals who prefer an updated photo and have newer PolyCards (e.g. aerial photograph of the campus with no Social Security number printed on the front) must visit the PolyCard Office now through May 13, 2005. The updated photo is optional and available at no charge, but must be taken before May 13, after which the PolyCard team will commence printing the new cards using the last photo on file.

   A new PolyCard photo is required if there are significant changes in appearance (for identification purposes).

4. Will the new PolyCard contain all of my current information and be compatible with current campus systems?

   Yes, the new PolyCard will be compatible with supported campus systems.

   The cutover of campus services to the new PolyCard will occur on June 13, 2005. After that date, all supported PolyCard services (e.g. vending, Campus Express Club, Robert E. Kennedy Library) will not be permitted to use, nor will they function, with the Social Security number embedded on the magnetic stripe.

5. What are the specific timelines for the PolyCard campus rollout?

   The initial rollout will commence on June 1, 2005 on a "first-come, first-serve" basis. There will be designated card pickup stations for faculty/staff and separate card pickup stations for students. The location for card pickups will be adjacent to teh PolyCard Office (Campus Dining Light House Atrium – Bldg. 19, Room 106F).

   Pickup will continue throughout Summer Quarter 2005 and into Fall Quarter 2005.

   Given "lessons learned" from previous PolyCard recarding efforts, we anticipate minimal delays for the brief time required for new PolyCard pickup.

6. When is the PolyCard office open?

   The PolyCard Customer Service office is located in Bldg. 19, in the Light House Atrium.

   Spring 2005 Hours of Operation are:
   Monday – Friday 7:30am to 7:00pm
   Saturday – Sunday 10:00am to 7:00pm

   Summer 2005 hours of operation are to be determined (as a function of enrollment).

7. What will be done with my existing PolyCard?

   To receive your new PolyCard, you MUST present your old PolyCard at time of new PolyCard pickup. At that time, you will receive a new PolyCard that will be effective June 13, 2005.

   NOTE: By law, effective July 1, 2005, the CSU is prohibited from encoding or embedding a social security number in a magnetic strip (as noted above). Any older PolyCard with a printed or embedded Social Security number that remains in the possession of the specified user should be properly destroyed and the individual card carrier will assume any liability for not doing so.

8. How will I access Library databases and checkout materials?

   The PolyCard program has worked closely with the Library to facilitate changes. On the date of the cutover (June 13, 2005) you will be prompted for your barcode on the front of the PolyCard. This is a unique number and will replace the previous identifiers.

9. How will PolyCard be used with SLO Transit bussing services?

   The new PolyCard will be integrated into systems used to validate students, staff and faculty as "current members" of the campus community. When boarding busses, PolyCard users will continue to simply swipe their card; encrypted data is used to maintain a "Valid ID Rider List" and is updated nightly.