2008 Woodie Awards
Price for ID Now $35
Dom Delgardo
Issue date: 3/9/05 Section: News
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"As with your drivers liscense or credit cards, YOUR student identification card is just as important--please use care when using it-its value has just increased." That was the sign posted around the campus that left many students both angered and confused.
Sophomore Engineering major Garrett Fitzgerald said "They say that your drivers liscense and ID card are of the same importance, except for the fact that it costs $8 to replace your drivers license." He went on to ask "why are they charging you $35 and all that time in line to get a new ID card? If they're of the same importance as your license shouldn't they be of the same worth?"
According to John Mark, Director of Residence Life, the ID's were raised due to "access control violations." An access control violation occurs when a student or visitor attempts to enter a building using a different student's ID card. In the 2003-2004 school year, access control violations totalled 67 for the entire year. In the first semester of this school year, however, 83 access control violations were already accounted for by Campus Security.
Mark said that ID replacements cost $10 when he was a student here, and felt that it was too easy for students to purchase extra ID cards for their friends to get in to the buildings. He went on to say that the only buildings of concern were Horan and Overlook. Several incidents occurred last semester that lead to the administrations decision to raise the prices.
In Horan Hall, one student had some things stolen from their room allegedgly from an individual who gained access to the building with a students ID card. "What's the point of guest passes," asked Mark. Another student lost their ID somewhere in the city and luckily it was returned via mail to the Residence Life Office. Mark fears that next time, the person who finds the ID may use it to gain entrance to the school.
Regarding security, Juan Cerezo of the security department at MC said that not only have more students attempted to get into the buildings with fake ID's, but the security guards have also payed closer attention to the problem. "Every week we get a number of them," Cerezo said. He went on to say, "I think $35 is going to curtain the problem."
One area of concern for many students on campus is the way in which all of this extra money will be used. According to John Daly, VP of Finances, the money will be put into the General Operations Budget that "keeps the college ticking." Day to day expenses such as heat and other bills, as well as professors salaries all come out of the General Operations Budget.