Clayton College & State University (CCSU), a unit of the University System of Georgia, intends to be a national leader in the development and use of the "universal campus card." The University has gained approval from the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia to serve as a prototype for other colleges and universities within the system in the application of information technology.
CCSU, located in Morrow just south of Atlanta, was founded in 1969 as Clayton Junior College. In 1986, the school became a four year college and was renamed Clayton State College. In 1996, CSC gained full university status and became known as Clayton College & State University. This non-residential college enrolls 5,000 students and offers a variety of degree programs. The school has the largest and most successful continuing education program in metropolitan Atlanta, attracting more than 20,000 to continuing classes and 40,000 conference attendees. The average age of CCSU's student populations is 28 and 40% of the students are evening students with full-time jobs during the day.
In an effort to improve student learning, Clayton College & State University became interested in providing the means and tools for students to enhance their learning productivity, improve their readiness to jump into a career, and make learning available for life. CCSU wanted to provide more flexible offerings to students in attaining an education.
CCSU officials were interested in finding ways to:
To accomplish these objectives, the University developed and proposed the Information Technology Project (ITP) for adoption by the Board of Regents as a pilot project for the University System of Georgia. Approved by the Board, ITP provides for:
Even as the planning for ITP began, Clayton College & State University officials launched the search for a campus card provider. They sent out a two-part request for information (RFI) for an ID card system. Part one requested information on a card access system, consumer internet access, and dial-in access to the University network. Part two requested information on a commercial credit card, on-line access for the University to student finance commission for processing student financial aid and on-line information for distribution to potential card holders.
Once they accumulated information and researched what was available in the market, CCSU put out a Request for Proposals (RFP) looking for technology as well as on-and-off-campus applications for a universal campus card. The on-campus applications included: identification; access to facilities, events, & parking; privileges; and a debit card to pay for food services, vending, photocopying, printing, faxing and campus store products. Off-campus applications included use of card with ATM's; as check and/or credit card; telecommunications services; and processing of student financial aid.
CCSU found AT&T to offer the best solution to achieve its goals for access, telecommunications and more efficient processing of financial aid through a banking component, and selected AT&T in July of 1996. Dr. Richard Skinner, president of CCSU said, "In the final analysis, the choice of AT&T CampusWide Access Solutions was an easy one: they combined substantial experience, proven capabilities, a commitment to real collaboration, and willingness to listen and learn from us about our needs and, even more important, ambitions for taking their card system and products and advancing them to new levels of service and value and new kinds of applications."
By the fall of 1996, CCSU had the Video Imaging system up and running with the AT&T CampusWide Optim9000 system and began carding during Fall orientation. The university carded more than 3,000 students in its new carding facility built for the LINX Card program. During 1996-97, on-campus applications were implemented including copying, food service, bookstore, vending and value transfer station (VTS).
On March 11, 1997, the Board of Regents for the Georgia State University System chose CCSU and Floyd College to be pilot sites for the ITP project. While CCSU continues to expand its CampusWide system, it will also work towards UPITA to provide students with notebook computers, streamlining financial aid disbursements through the LINX card, and funding/budgeting as auxiliary services. CCSU has begun setting a precedent for the University System of Georgia as well as the nation for its innovative solutions to non-traditional campus life.