Wiscard campus accounts to merge June 1

Beginning this summer, student purchases on campus will be made simpler and will offer more discounts on food when using a Wiscard.

For many years, UW–Madison students have had to navigate three separate account options when managing their money for on-campus purchases. The three accounts — Campus Cash, Housing Food and Union Meal — were all tied to the student’s Wiscard, which also serves as their student ID and building access card. Each account, however, served different purposes and was accepted only at certain campus locations, with deposits and balances being managed separately for each.

On June 1, the three existing accounts will be merged into a single Wiscard account that will be accepted at nearly 50 locations across campus. This will give students more flexibility in their on-campus purchases, whether for food, textbooks, course packets, printing, school supplies, campus convenience store items, student services, or other school-related products. The change also makes it easier for students to manage their money, depositing it into just one convenient account.

As another benefit, UW–Madison students, faculty and staff can all save five percent on food purchases made with Wiscard at not only University Housing dining locations, but starting June 1, at all Wisconsin Union locations as well. In addition, students do not pay the 5.5 percent sales tax on food when using a Wiscard, effectively saving them more than 10 percent total on these items.

Students living in university residence halls will continue to receive a 30 percent discount on prepared food (20 percent on packaged food) at all seven University Housing dining locations instead of the five percent discount for nonresidents.

Students and staff who currently use the three existing accounts will not need to take any action when the transition occurs on June 1. Balances in Campus Cash and Union Meal accounts will automatically transfer into the new single Wiscard account.

This year, Housing Food account balances for University Housing residents at the end of the spring semester will be handled similarly to past years, with refunds being issued for balances over $20, and balances under $20 being transferred to the new Wiscard account.

When new incoming first-year students arrive in fall 2014, they will have the new, single Wiscard account for food and other campus purchases, simplifying their lives and helping them get the most out of their money on campus.

For more information on the Wiscard changes, making deposits, and setting up accounts, visit the Wiscard website.