CCU’s CINO Card really is No. 1
While we can't guarantee that CINO Hall is the best residence hall in the nation or that CINO Grille is the best restaurant across campuses nationwide, we can say when it comes to identification cards, Coastal Is Number One.
Coastal Carolina University won Best Card Design at the 25th annual conference of the National Association of Campus Card Users (NACCU) in April after more than 450 conference attendees voted on the five finalists.
"Now we can say we have an award-winning card program," said Scott Gallimore, CINO Card operations manager.
The five finalists for the Best Card Design Award are selected by a committee based on a grading matrix, and then NACCU members vote for their favorite design leading up to and during the conference, which took place this year in Reno, Nev., April 22-25.
The other finalists were Central Washington University, Dalhousie University, Michigan Technological University and the University of Montana-Western.
Jonathan Ady, a graphic designer for CCU's Office of University Communication, designed the CINO Card in 2010, and it was implemented campuswide in 2013.
"I think it's a very cool thing for the University, and I am honored I was able to be a part of the creative process," Ady said. "Every student at every university and college in the country uses their ID card every day. Now our students get to use theirs, thinking, 'This is the coolest ID card in the country.'"
An expiration date was added to the CINO Card last year, said Gallimore, and the office is in the process of updating cards to reflect that change, and he doesn't have plans to change the design again anytime soon.
But plenty of other changes have been happening with the CINO Card office lately.
Since last summer, students have been able to upload their own photos for their CINO Cards, which helps streamline the card-issuing process during Orientation. Gallimore says his office has grown recently, too.
"Since we became our own department, we have more stability as part of auxiliary services," he said. "Working under Sandy Baldridge-Adrian has really given me the support and freedom to take steps forward and grow this office."
Baldrige-Adrian is the director of contractual and business services and has overseen the CINO Card office for almost a year.
"Scott and his team have worked hard to improve the services the CINO Card office offers," Baldridge-Adrian said. "Taking the CINO Card office under my supervision has allowed for more collaboration between the other auxiliary services I oversee, making the card more than just an ID card."
The CINO Card office is responsible for more than taking ID photos and printing cards. More than 500 campus doors require card access now with the completion of the new science building, the new academic building and the new residence hall complex, and the office also coordinates with the campus post office to take passport photos.
Amid all of this change and progress, Gallimore has also completed NACCU's inaugural Standards and Guidelines (SAGS) course, a process that took nearly a year to complete from start to finish. Twelve universities were selected to go through the certification process, but only six completed it.
"It was an in-depth process," Gallimore said. "There were 13 different sections to it that require you to report on the current status of your card program with the documentation to back it up. The course is essentially a self-evaluation of your program that is then submitted to and evaluated by the course leaders."
Once the course leaders review all the documentation, they award a certificate of completion. CCU now holds that certification, along with Duke University, the University of Houston, the University of Calgary, Central Missouri, and the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater.
"Scott's completion of the SAGS course speaks to his exemplary work ethic and dedication to CCU," said Steve Harrison, vice president of auxiliary services at CCU. "Scott has always tried to keep the CINO Card at the leading edge of innovation. By getting this certification, he's demonstrated yet again that his expertise, knowledge and experience rival that of the best in higher education."
Completing the SAGS course is not a requirement to be a member of NACCU, and CCU has been a member of the international program since 2009.
NACCU is dedicated to providing educational programs, resources, services and tools to the international campus card transaction industry. It aims to help its members stay current, provides opportunities for professional development and leadership, and encourages growth and innovation. Visit naccu.org.
The CINO Card office has been embracing growth and innovation for several years, and the recent achievements are proof.
"I know Scott and his supervisor, Sandy Baldridge-Adrian, will continue to innovate in the years to come, and I'm sure more honors will come our way, but nothing is as important as our campus card users feeling confident that the CINO Card is a convenient and secure tool," Harrison said.
Additional information:
Visit coastal.edu/cinocard. From there, you can find a list of places that accept CINO cards and gain access to your CINO Card account to upload a photo or add CINO Cash. For those wanting a passport photo taken, contact the Post Office on campus first to make an appointment.
Social media handles:
Twitter: @cinocard
Facebook: facebook.com/cinocardccu