When a student arrives for orientation at UNL, he or she is taken to the NCard office in the Nebraska Union, where the student’s picture is taken. The NCard is made and given to the student. This year, 5,059 freshmen and transfer students went through this process. A $20 issuance fee appeared on their consolidated bills to cover the NCard cost.
After using their card for two or three years, some students experience the “ghost NCard” phenomenon: Their Ncard pictures fade to ghostly representations of themselves.
NCards with faded photos can sometimes be replaced for free, but there are strict guidelines. In the fiscal year 2008-2009, 828 cards were replaced because of faded photos. Ones that had no other defects were replaced for free.
“We do not replace for free cards that are damaged beyond normal wear and tear,” said Julie Yardley, manager of the NCard Office at UNL.
If a student loses his or her NCard, the student must pay $20 to have a new one made. The same fee is imposed on students who claim to have their cards stolen, but have no proof. In the fiscal year 2008-2009, 2,175 students had to replace their NCards because of loss or theft.
If a card is destroyed in a catastrophic event such as a flood, tornado, fire or car accident, the fee is $7. There is also a $7 fee for any student who has a damaged card that is less than four years old. Damaged cards that are more than four years old, along with non-functioning cards, are replaced for free.
There seems to be no question that NCards fade. The question is why these NCards fade. It could be the ink. It could be the students.
The NCard office began using a new system this year that Yardley said will prevent pictures from fading.
“We use a thermal imaging ink, and the cards are made on new specialized printers,” she said. “We have also added a new thermal laminator which laminates the front photo side of the card.”
Since the use of this new system, no cards have been returned because of faded pictures. However, the system is not even a year old.
Cassie Olson, a sophomore news-editorial major, has another theory as to why the cards fade.
Olson thinks that the reason some NCards fade and others don’t is related to sun exposure. Students who keep their NCards behind clear plastic with the face exposed have NCards that are subjected to the elements.
“I keep my NCard on the inside of my wallet, so it doesn’t fade,” Olson said.
Her NCard hardly ever sees the sun, coming out of hiding to scan in for meals and to check in to the Campus Recreation Center.
Whatever the theory, the new lamination module should keep the cards from fading in the future, Yardley said. Students who got NCards this year should find their cards more durable, but older cards may soon be due for a replacement.
ELLENHIRST@DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM
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