Reporter 23/7/03: Planned changes to the University Card: Notice

Planned changes to the University Card: Notice

The University Card Management Committee, acting on the advice of the Card User Group, proposes to introduce changes to the University Card. This information is being made available now to assist planning in institutions wishing to introduce new systems which make use of the card.

A new University Card will be introduced no later than October 2004. This new card will carry only a MIFARE contactless chip and the University Library barcode but will be printed with the same information and layout as the existing card. The new card will cost significantly less to produce than the existing card. Apart from this cost consideration, change is necessary to support new access control systems in the University and Colleges. The general advice of the security industry is that these should use a card with a contactless chip.

In addition to the new standard card, two other card types will be produced:

• TDSi cards (without any chip) will be issued, or reissued, to cardholders requiring access via TDSi systems. The need for these cards will decline as TDSi access systems are replaced by more modern systems.

• a special card containing both a contact chip and a contactless chip will be issued to cardholders requiring the contact chip, for example to access computer-based services. (This may become the standard card in the longer term if use of the contact chip becomes more widespread.)

Both these additional cards will also retain the University Library barcode and will be printed with the same information and layout as the standard card.

When the new card is introduced, all new cardholders will receive it. Existing cardholders will receive the new card only when their current card requires replacement (due to expiry, loss, theft, or damage) or if they require access to a building via a contactless access control system. Institutions will additionally be able to request that their users are issued with either of the additional cards. No charge will be made for these additional cards in cases where the standard card is provided at the University's expense.

These arrangements will be reviewed if changes in requirements or technology adversely affect the system's value for money, for example, when TDSi systems become sufficiently rare that it is no longer reasonable to provide the TDSi card free of charge.

Further information can be provided by subscribing to the announcement e-mail list. To do this, please contact ucam-univcard-request@lists.cam.ac.uk. A newsgroup for discussion about the University Card and the new developments in particular can also be found at ucam.univcard.discuss. Further details are available at the Card Project's website at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/misd/univcard.

Table of Contents

•	TDSi cards (without any chip) will be issued, or reissued, to cardholders requiring access via TDSi systems. The need for these cards will decline as TDSi access systems are replaced by more modern systems.
•	a special card containing both a contact chip and a contactless chip will be issued to cardholders requiring the contact chip, for example to access computer-based services. (This may become the standard card in the longer term if use of the contact chip becomes more widespread.)