Blackboard Campus Cards
A review of the card technologies, materials,
printing and branding options available to you.
BLACKBOARD CAMPUS CARDS
Selecting the most appropriate and highest quality card stock for your program
The campus ID card is the vehicle that connects
all of the dispersed readers and technologies
that comprise your university campus card
ecosystem. To ensure that your campus
community members enjoy successful utilization
of the card, and all the services associated with
it, it is important to pay attention to the details
associated with production decisions, including
vendor selection, card technologies available,
card material selection and printing.
Though hundreds of Internet storefronts and
resellers would like you to believe your card is a
commodity item, this is simply not the case. The
card is one of your most important components
of your campus transaction system and is key
to enhancing campus life. As a result, one of the
most important decisions you will make for your
campus card program is the selection of your ID
card stock. The quality should not be taken lightly.
Before ordering cards, you will choose from an
array of construction materials, identification
technologies, printing options and more. Your
supplier should serve as a trusted partner in the
selection of cardstock and throughout the overall
card fulfillment process, guiding you through
each step to ensure a finished product that meets
the highest visual and structural standards.
To attain this goal, it is essential to monitor
quality control throughout the entire manufacturing and personalization processes. To that
end, your supplier should possess a thorough
understanding of design principles that produce
top quality images on a vast array of card types
and printers.
Campus Card Vendor Selection Tips
To ensure that you get the right card technology
for your campus population, vendor selection is
key. It is important to choose a vendor that:
•Provides a dedicated card services account
representative to assist through each phase of
the production process – from defining your
campus’ unique needs to card delivery.
•Has a depth of experience working with
a variety of traditional and advanced ID
technologies.
•Has specific expertise in the growing
contactless card technology space.
•Has long-term relationships with leading
manufacturers to ensure competitive pricing
and the ability to source virtually any
technology type and card configuration.
Blackboard Campus Card Services Approach
• Consult with client to detemine card technology needs
• Develop card art and card branding
• Define pre-printed elements
• Consult with client to determine ideal printing and personalization solutions
• Oversee card production throughout the process from stock selection to delivery
• Ensure timely and accurate delivery of cards
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DETERMINING CARD TECHNOLOGY NEEDS
Understanding your card program needs — both
immediate and future — is the first step in defining your
card order. Your system provider, software version and
current and planned application set will determine the
ID technologies – magnetic stripe, proximity, contactless
– to be included on your card as well as the options that
must be specified.
Magnetic Stripe
The long-time standard in campus card technology — the
magnetic stripe — is a storage device capable of holding a
limited amount of data such as cardholder name, unique
ID number and expiration date. Though magnetic stripes
can be rewritten, they are typically used to store static
data that is encoded at issuance and maintained for the
life of the card.
The stripe runs the length of the card and is divided into
multiple tracks. The majority of ID cards have either two
or three tracks. A three-track stripe has the capacity
to store more data than a two-track stripe, however it
consumes more physical space, or real estate, on the
Read only
Contactless Features and
Benefits:
•Increased first-time read rates
enable card data to be accessed
correctly without the need to
re-swipe or re-tap the card
•Highly secure cardholder data and
transactions
•Faster transactions mean greater
cardholder convenience and a
better student experience
•Improved campus operations
resulting from increased customer
throughput
•Reduced card reader
maintenance: no magnetic stripe
read heads to change due to
excessive wear
•Versatile form factors enable
contactless technology to be
delivered in cards, key fobs,
mobile phones and other devices
Mag Stripe
Prox
a
a
a
Read/Write
Low Capacity Memory
a
a
High Capacity Memory
Long lifespan
a
Ability to program on campus
High first-time read rates
High security encryption
Mutual authentication
Multi-application support
Diversity of form factors
Contactless
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
a
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card. With the volume of printed instructions,
disclaimers and logos required on most campus
cards, even this relatively small amount of space
can be extremely valuable.
Most applications utilize data on the first and second
tracks, thus, making the third track unnecessary.
However, certain applications such as offline door
lock solutions typically capitalize on the flexibility of
this third track for custom encoding.
While the magnetic stripe remains a viable
storage device for campus card programs and is
ideal for passing an ID number from a card to a
system, it is comparably less secure than today’s
newer contactless technologies.
Proximity
Proximity cards have enjoyed widespread use
as building access control cards for more than
25 years. Commonly called prox cards, they rely
on RFID technology operating at the 125 kHz
frequency. When a card is held in close proximity
to a reader (typically within several inches), card
data is transmitted to the reader over the air via
radio frequency communication.
Like magnetic stripes, prox cards are a storage
technology capable of holding and transmitting a
small amount of static data. Typically, prox cards
store only an ID number that is pre-encoded by
the manufacturer. Upon issuance on-site, the
pre-encoded number is added to the cardholder
record to link the two in campus card and access
control systems.
Because proximity cards are a read-only
technology capable of storing only a small amount
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of static data, they are similar to the magnetic
stripe in terms of function. The convenience of
radio frequency data transmission, however,
has made them a popular replacement to the
magnetic stripe in certain applications, such as
door access, that benefit from rapid throughput.
Contactless
The next generation of ID cards greatly exceeds
the basic storage capabilities of magnetic stripes
and proximity cards and incorporates stronger
security for both data and transactions.
Contactless cards have a built-in integrated
circuit chip that enables much larger data
storage capacity than prior technologies –
generally 100 times greater than that of a prox
or magnetic stripe card – and is unique in its
ability to bring read/write functionality to
campus cards. The contactless chip allows for
sophisticated multi-application processing and
elevates card security by encrypting stored data
and performing mutual authentication between
cards and readers. Further, the contactless chip
gives institutions the ability to modify, add or
delete information or applications from existing
cards, thus providing a level of investment
protection never before available.
Contactless technology also increases convenience by allowing “tap-and-go” operation for
access control, payment, identification and
a host of additional transactions on a single
contactless card. In addition to the speed it
offers cardholders, this “tap-and-go” capability
translates to cost-savings for the institution,
making it an ideal choice for campus card use.
EVALUATING CARD MATERIALS
PVC
The vast majority of plastic cards in the U.S. are made entirely from Polyvinyl
chloride (PVC) because it is inexpensive and readily available. PVC creates
a bright white, smooth card surface ideal for printing and personalization.
It accepts dyes from desktop card printers extremely well, and is an ideal
material for embedding proximity or contactless technologies.
While PVC is the most common material used for cards in North America, it is
not the most durable. It has a shorter lifespan – generally 3-5 years - than other
card types and it is more susceptible to damage from extreme temperatures and
exposure to ultraviolet light. Over time, PVC cards can become brittle and crack.
Despite these drawbacks, it remains an extremely viable material for many
card issuers; it is very likely that your wallet is full of 100% PVC cards.
Composite
Composite cards are created by embedding a layer of polyester – called
PET – between outer layers of PVC. This results in a finished product that
capitalizes on the personalization benefits of PVC but significantly increases
durability and lifespan. Composite cards are more expensive than 100% PVC
but tend to perform better and last longer – generally 5 or more years.
Composite cards are an ideal choice when proximity or contactless technology
is included, when the card will be personalized on a retransfer card printer, or
when additional durability and extended lifespan is required.
PVC – Polyvinyl chloride
The most common material used in North America for ID cards, Plastic
Identification Code 3, is also used to makes pipes for the construction industry
and a variety of food packaging products.
PET (also called Polyester) – Polyethylene terephthalate
Used in combination with other materials such as PVC to add strength to
plastic cards, Plastic Identification Code 1, is also used to make beverage
bottles, thermal insulation, and textiles.
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Green Cards
‘Green’ ID cards, while not widely available and
not significantly used, are increasing in popularity
as universities explore and prioritize green initiatives. Examples of green cards include recycled
plastic as well as biodegradable materials. While
there are environmental benefits to these cards,
they are infrequently and are generally unproven
in the marketplace, particularly in high-usage
environments like a college or university campus.
PRINTING AND PERSONALIZATION
There are two primary methods for
preprinting cards:
•Lithography or Offset Printing: This is the most
common printing technique used for plastic
cards. It results in a high quality, durable product with high-gloss edge-to-edge printing.
•Surface Printing or Screen Printing: Ink is
transferred to the card through a designbearing screen. Less expensive than offset
printing, it is a frequent choice for temporary
cards that are not being personalized, such
as visitor or copy cards.
Preprinting
Desktop printing and personalization
Modern desktop ID card printers are capable of
printing high-quality, full-color images as well
as solid, saturated areas of color for text and
barcodes, although most are not capable of full
edge-to-edge printing. Still some campus card
issuers prefer to order cards preprinted from the
card supplier. Preprinted cards have the highest
possible image quality and they support full
edge-to-edge printing that delivers the widest
personalization field possible. They are also less
likely to have the minor image flaws that occur
periodically in the desktop printing process.
Whether or not parts of the card are preprinted,
on-site personalization via a desktop card printer
is a necessity. Some campuses print the entire
card during this stage while others add only
personal data such as cardholder photo, name
and ID numbers.
Campuses that opt not to preprint often cite
flexibility as a major advantage to starting
with blank white cards. These blank cards
allow users to change designs for different
card types (e.g. student, staff, or visitor).
Dye Sublimation VS. Preprinting
Using dye sublimation causes the
card to have a dull finish with a
white border around the image.
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Preprinting has a glossier finish
and allows for a true edge-toedge image on the card.
Further, blank cards simplify the order process
and allow institutions to receive additional
supplies of card stock more rapidly.
The desktop printer is responsible for adding
security features such as custom laminates or
holograms. It also encodes the magnetic stripe and,
in some cases, configures the contactless chip.
Printing processes
There are two common printing processes used
by today’s desktop card printers: dye sublimation
printing and retransfer printing.
Dye sublimation has been the established method
used by desktop printers for many years. The
process involves applying heat to a colored ribbon
such that the dye actually diffuses from the ribbon
and into the plastic card surface. It is not printed
on the card but actually into it. But dye sublimation
printers have some drawbacks. The printhead that
is responsible for applying heat to the ribbon is a
very precise and delicate mechanism that can be
damaged over time due to general wear, leading
to a costly replacement. The printhead can also
be damaged through repeated impact with card
edges. For this reason, dye sublimation printers
typically avoid the edges of the card leaving a thin
white border at each side.
A newer printing technique called retransfer
printing applies the image to a film rather than to
the card itself. The film is then applied to the card
using a thermal adhesion process. Because there
are no hard card edges to damage the print head
or tear the ribbon, the image can cover the entire
surface of the card and be truly edge-to-edge.
Many campuses choose to preprint the back of
the card only and leave the front blank. Because
most IDs have static information on the back that
is not personalized to the individual cardholder,
this approach has become common among
campus card programs. It enables a high-quality,
full-color image on the back without the added
time and expense of desktop printing on both
sides of the card.
SUMMARY
Your campus card is a critical element in your
campus infrastructure. It connects your campus
transaction system and your constituents as it
facilitates commerce and access. It is the point
where secure system communication begins.
Before launching your next carding or re-carding
program, we encourage you to review the wide
range of card technologies, materials, printing
and branding options available to you. We also
encourage you to work with a trusted partner
who can help you make selections that will
support your business objectives and meet the
needs of your campus systems and constituents
today and tomorrow.
Blackboard Campus Cards: Your card
issuance partner
Regardless of the size of your project or the type
of card technology, Blackboard Campus CardsTM
provides industry-leading card management,
design and production capabilities, all with
minimal expenditure and a commitment to
making your experience hassle free. We can
guide you in selecting the most appropriate
solution for your institution and deliver the
highest quality card for your unique needs.
This paper is an initial exploration into how
Blackboard can help advance your campus
transaction system as your card services partner.
To learn more: visit blackboard.com,
email [email protected] or
call 800.424.9299 ext. 4.
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www.blackboard.com/transact
650 Massachusetts Avenue, NW 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20001
1-800-424-9299, ext. 4
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