Student IDs projected to go mobile

TCU Student event pass leads way for future mobile identification. (Ella Gonzalez/Staff Writer)

By Ella Gonzales, Staff Writer
Published Nov 29, 2022

TCU student government association president Brandon Fox and TCU administration are working to transition student ID physical cards to electronic passes accessed by phone. The two million dollar project would be funded by the university. The project has not yet been approved by TCU administration. “The administration is very open to this, and we are starting to get some good steam behind the project which puts us in a good spot,” Fox said.

Why transition?

ID cards on mobile phones would prevent students from losing their cards. It would also help enhance safety, as people would not be able to use other peoples’ cards to access dorm buildings, rooms and meal plans.

Student using swipe access to get into their dorm building (Ella Gonzales )

Brandon Fox sees the transition as “a way to ease student life so you don’t have to go through the hassle of trying to get a new ID.” There is no time frame for when this project may get approved. The transition would likely take an entire summer.

Student using swipe access to get into their dorm room (Ella Gonzales/Staff Writer)

New era of technology for college campuses

Other universities have already implemented digital I.D.’s on their campuses. Students from other colleges see the mobile ID as a benefit to their college experience. Faith Comstock, a student from the University of Tennessee, said using a digital ID is convenient. “Because my ID is digital, I am able to have it easily accessible in my apple wallet,” Comstock said. “It pops up on my screen when I hold it up to a scanner. I never have to worry about not being able to get into a building, because it works even if my phone is dead.”

University of Tennessee Mobile ID (Faith Comstock)

Kailee Velasco, a student at the University of Alabama said it is helpful that your ID can’t get lost. “It also works even if your phone is dead so students can’t get locked out of dorms,” Velasco added. “Cons are I like having physical student ID because I like seeing myself change over the years.” Every swipe entrance would be switched to a prox reader. To grant access, a student would hold their phone up to the entrance. Physical ID cards would not be issued unless a student has no mobile device.