Wait, Another PantherCard?

       Auxiliary and Support Services are considering yet an- other PantherCard for students to be available possibly as soon as next year.

     Blackboard, the company that is responsible for Georgia State's uLearn and PantherCash programs, has asked Georgia State to consider implementing its BlackboardPay program into students' PantherCards.

     The BlackboardPay pro- gram will speed up how fast students receive their money through the automation of financial aid, student payroll and other forms of credit and through its integration with the students' PantherCards, according to Blackboard.

       Leveraging First Data's Money Network, the new BlackboardPay PantherCard would double as a Discover Card. This would not be a credit card for students, rather a ‘debit' account that would house financial aid funds typically distributed by the school.

        The Student Government Association is currently in the process of getting feedback from Georgia State students to see if Blackboard's program would work here.

"If any students have negative feedback...we would love to hear that feedback," SGA President James Dutton said.

       SGA has been working with Auxiliary and Support Services to explore Black- board's proposal, Dutton said. "[I've] tried to find some- thing wrong with the program, and I just can't," Dutton said.

       According to Blackboard's proposal, the startup of the program will not cost Georgia State anything. Blackboard plans to generate revenue though the transaction fees charged to merchants that accept the card, although some merchants do not accept Discover versus MasterCard or Visa.

       "My concern is [that] I pay for rent and other bills online," Kelsey Shiflett said, a junior who recently transferred to

      Georgia State. "If I had a Discover Card, I would have to pay differently. It might make things more inconvenient."

     "I would want [my refund] to draft into my account, part of that is because Discover isn't as popular," Shiflett said, who already has a debit and credit card through her bank. "It would be one extra thing to take care of and would make things more complicated."

        However, in its pitch, Blackboard said they would charge less in fees for this ac- count than many other banks. Blackboard would charge a $2.50 out of network ATM withdraw fee, a $4 outgoing fee for online payments and a $3.50 a month abandonment fee after a period of nine months of inactivity.

        Blackboard expects universities to save an estimated $10 on every student that participates in the program, due to eliminations in paper check disbursements.

      The addition to the PantherCard would not replace or eliminate PantherCash. New cards would be equipped with a second magnetic strip. Further, there would be an online program that would allow you to transfer funds from the Discover account to the Panther- Cash account.

     "PantherCard cash is a pain," Janie Olivera, a journal- ism major, said. "I have to shop [for text books] at Georgia State, where books are more expensive."

      However, she said having her refund direct deposited into a Discover account would help her spend her money easier.

     "I wouldn't have to wait for the money," Olivera said.

This process will not happen overnight. It could take a year for Auxilliary and Support Services to approve or reject Blackboard's proposal.

     "You can opt out if you want, it's not going to be forced on anyone," Dutton said to students who may be concerned or skeptical of the potential program.