Why Every University needs an ID Card Printer

In today’s environment, both students and faculty are concerned about campus safety and access. However, a university campus is a complex mixture of public and semi-public spaces, so it is impossible to restrict access to the entire campus. By using ID cards printed on site, a university can improve security, streamline campus activities, and save money all at once.

ID cards can be printed in a variety of formats and designs, ranging from simple cards with the student’s ID number, barcode and photograph on them, to more complex designs incorporating magnetic stripes for information storage, or even smart cards for managing access control or for real time tracking. In this way, it is possible for the administration to tailor student and faculty ID cards for their specific needs.

The Benefits of ID Cards

ID cards can serve a variety of purposes, ranging from simple photo identification, to using smart cards for highly automated and confidential transactions. For a campus, the following uses are all examples of the benefits from using ID cards.

• ID cards provide an effective way for peace officers to determine whether an individual is actually a student or university employee. Including a photo of the cardholder prevents others from making use of a lost of stolen card to gain access to campus services.
• ID cards can provide access control for secured areas. These can range from dorms where only residents and their authorized guests are allowed, to secure labs that only a limited number of students or faculty can access. In case it is required, these ID cards can also provide a record of when students entered or left the secured areas.
• Cards incorporating magnetic stripe data storage can provide a storage medium for student information that can be securely encrypted. This reduces the danger of student identity theft.
• By using ID cards as campus debit cards for purchasing goods and services, the complexity of managing transactions can be reduced, as well as reducing the amount of cash that must be handled on a day-to-day basis.

Identification Card Printers and College ID Cards

When making use of ID cards, universities would be wise to invest in an ID card printer system. ID card printer systems allow the printing of cards on site, without having to outsource the process to a distant printer. This permits the quick replacement of lost cards, as well as immediately providing new students with their ID cards. In the end, purchasing an identification card printer will be far more cost effective than outsourcing the printing process.

By keeping ID card printers on the campus grounds, the administration can also manage card security. Card printers can be password protected, limiting the number of people who have access to them, as well as keeping a record of all currently printed cards. This is especially important when printing cards that incorporate student information encoded into the card, or cards that permit access to secure facilities.

By printing ID cards with an ID card printer, universities can incorporate an identification card system that will streamline the processing of students, ease the payment of debts, and improve campus security. In this way, the use of an ID card printer represents an economical long-term investment on the part of the university.

Steve Stoltz is a sales representative at CardPrinter.com, an online retailer that sells Photo ID Card Printers. We offer a large variety of high quality Retransfer Card Printer packages designed to serve the needs of both universities and businesses alike.