Wednesday, February 5, 1997
ASUCLA:
New setup could be implemented by September 1997By Frances
Lee
Daily Bruin Contributor
Imagine being able to buy a soda, withdraw cash from the ATM,
make a long-distance phone call, prove your identity and check out
a library book  all with the use of a piece of plastic that
is readily available without a credit check.
Sound too good to be true? It may sound suspiciously like Bruin
Gold, but, according to Terrence Hsiao, director of business
development for the Associated Students of UCLA (ASUCLA), the
much-talked about OneCard is better and easier to use.
Ideally, the OneCard System would integrate or replace several
existing campus card systems of the students’ association,
residence halls, business enterprises and the library, among
others, into one unified system, according to the university
finance office.
But the question of when and how the OneCard Program will be
implemented is "still under consideration," said Susan Abeles,
assistant vice chancellor of finance.
The "aspiration for a common student identification card (on the
UCLA campus) has been discussed for eight years," Abeles said.
Over those eight years, Abeles noted that technology has changed
dramatically, as have the methods of implementing the system.
The most recent issue, she said, is "whether or not we can
continue that process" of implementing the OneCard.
But if the university can stay on their timeline, the OneCard
System could be in place by September 1997.
"It’s a learning process," she added, and UCLA is looking to
other campuses who have successfully integrated the system as
models.
Many UCLA students, faculty and staff are already familiar with
Bruin Gold, which is similar to the OneCard system but smaller in
scope. Users deposit money into their Bruin Gold accounts and use
their UCLA student or employee identification cards as debit
cards.
"The money gets put on the (identification) card and you can use
it on all facilities on campus," said Leah Rendon, a third-year
theater student and an employee of the Bruin Gold/Services
Center.
Currently, food, textbooks and UCLA Store merchandise, among
other purchases, can be made with Bruin Gold.
One of the greatest advantages of having an account, said
Rendon, is that "you don’t have to keep making ATM withdrawals" to
pay for items such as food, which can only be paid for with cash or
Bruin Gold.
According to Tina Wang, a first year geography and environmental
studies student who works in the ASUCLA Market, about 30 to 40
percent of the students who pass through the market pay for their
purchases with Bruin Gold. "It’s a good resource in case students
don’t have cash," Wang said.
"It’s easy to use," said Vivian Chen, a fourth-year mechanical
engineering student who uses Bruin Gold about once a week.
"I usually don’t carry cash that often," she added. "It’s there
 why not use it?"
The OneCard could take the Bruin Gold concept a step further. If
adopted, the UCLA OneCard System would be a multipurpose,
campus-wide identification card which would support Bruin Gold
services as well as serve as an ATM card and a telephone calling
card.
Outside vendors would be contracted to provide services that can
be utilized with the OneCard. Last October, the office of the
assistant vice chancellor’s business and finance department issued
requests for proposals (RFP) to vendors, to get their bids on
various services such as long-distance phone calling cards.
So far, three vendors have responded, and the university is
currently in the process of evaluating those responses, according
to Abeles.