Last Friday, Sept. 10, was the first day students could use their Wesleyan IDs for purchases at well over a dozen stores in Middletown. The new Wescard Middletown Cash program operates via direct online or mail deposits to a cash-based account. The money in this account, separate from meal plan points, is commonly referred to as Flexpoints.
“Students are saying, ‘Where’s the value?’” said Manny Cunard, Director of Auxiliary Services.
According to Cunard, the benefits are two-fold. First, there’s no need for bills, credit cards or loose change. Second, vendors will be offering weekly specials available only to Wescard users.
Current participating vendors include student favorites such as Guiseppe’s Pizza, Typhoon Restaurant, It’s Only Natural and Klekolo World Coffee. Also included are Minuteman Press and PIP Printing.
WSA members Emily Polak ’05 and Ali Gomer ’05 sent out an e-mail this summer asking students which businesses they would like to see included.
“Ultimately, it is up to the businesses to join on or not,” Polak said. “However, student input was certainly relied upon.”
Tata Trisub, owner and manager of Typhoon, said that the she joined because she hopes the program will benefit students.
“Of the current participating businesses, almost all of them were requested by numerous students,” she said. “It’s essential to get the laundry system and photo copy system on it as well.”
According to Cunard, laundry and photo copying services will be available by January.
Last semester, regular meal plan points could be used at Thai Gardens, another Middletown restaurant popular among students. Because the Wescard functions as a debit card and uses Flexpoints, it avoids last semester’s controversy surrounding the use of meal plan points at off-campus restaurants.
“The Wescard supplements the dining program instead of compromising it,” Cunard said.
“In my personal opinion, the debit card option for the One Card [another name for the Wescard] is an appropriate way to support local businesses, since it’s the same as using cash and doesn’t detract from on-campus service,” said Joanna Lawler ’05.
Lawler was a prominent spokesperson for the United Students Labor Action Coalition (USLAC) last semester at many WSA meetings.
According to Tim Reiss, Senior Food Service Director, Aramark Dining Services fully supports the Middletown Cash program as well.
The Wescard was set up with the help of BbOne, a subsidiary of Blackboard Inc. Blackboard is the company responsible for the digital classroom space that links to each student’s portfolio.
BbOne technology utilizes the black magnetic strip on the back of student ID cards. Before now, the strip had no use.
“We’ve had a number of students who have had their cards for a long time come in to replace them, because the back is banged up,” Cunard said.
According to Cunard, BbOne’s new technology allows the Wescard to cover all existing and future card uses on-campus.
A small percentage of each purchase is redirected to BbOne for payment, and an even smaller percentage goes to Wesleyan University. All the participating vendors have agreed not to raise their prices in hopes that Middletown Cash will bring in more customers.
“Some students think it’s a ploy, but we’re just trying to simplify everything,” Cunard said.
In its promotional pamphlet BbOne notes two sample school budget accounts that range from $640 to $1215. To activate their Middletown Cash, students need to deposit at least $5. Unlike meal plan points, Middletown Cash rolls over from semester to semester and can be used throughout the entire year. The Flexpoints can only be redeemed for money if the student ceases to be enrolled at Wesleyan, at which point a $25 fee will apply.
“To be honest, I’m not sure how many students are participating in this program at the moment, but I guess it will grow with time,” Gomer said.
Within the next four years, Cunard expects most students to know about and participate in the program.
“Currently, the Wescard is just beginning, and none of us have yet seen what it can offer,” Polak said.
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