Administrators at the University at Buffalo have afforded students the opportunity to put their student identification cards to use in quite a few situations. From ordering pizza to paying for taxi service and getting discounts on charges at some movie theaters - having a card that identifies one as a UB student can alleviate quite a few hassles.
But some students believe the university is dragging its feet when it comes to one possible student perk.
Gloria Almeida, a senior legal studies major, said when she noticed that all her friend, an Erie Community College student, needed to get on the bus was a student identification card, she started wondering why she didn't have an identification card that afforded her the same privilege.
Almeida said she called up the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) to find out what kind of program they were running and why UB wasn't a part of it.
According to C. Douglas Hartmayer, director of public affairs for the NFTA, students enrolled in schools participating in the NFTA's University Unlimited Program, pay a fee of $25 per student per semester to receive unlimited access to the subway and buses.
Almeida said the program is something she believes would be highly beneficial to students - especially one particular group of students.
"I'm just trying to make a point that there are many students who can benefit," said Almeida. "They have to overcome a lot of obstacles and they don't need another. Sometimes that fare can mean a difference between them being in class or not."
Hartmayer said of the schools approached by the NTFA, Bryant and Stratton College, Medaille College, Canisius College and Buffalo State College have accepted and are now participants in the program.
Negotiations with administrators at UB are still underway, he said.
"Everybody that we've talked to hasn't signed on," he said. "Some are still taking it into consideration. No one has said 'no' but they are taking it under advisement for future consideration."
UB officials said while they are willing to participate in the program, the NFTA will have to adjust their stipulations before the deal can be sealed.
According Barbara Ricotta, assistant vice president for Campus Life, the NFTA requires that the entire student body participate in the University Unlimited Program. With UB's large student body of 26,000 students, the $25 per student per semester would have UB shelling out $1.3 million per year for a service that not all students want or need.
"Think about how much of an investment that is for how much we would get out of it," she said. "My question is why wouldn't we offer it to our students on an individual basis. We think it's a good idea, the question is, why would we force everyone to participate?"
Ricotta said the discussion about the number of students who would find this service worthwhile is the sticking point in negotiations with the NFTA.
"We haven't agreed upon a number yet," she said. "They want a guaranteed number and we're trying to negotiate what we think is a reasonable number. We just think 2600 is unreasonable."
Some students concur.
"Why would people pay for a service they're not going to use?" said Dean Edwards, a senior political science major. "The NFTA is just trying to make money,"
According to Hartmayer, Medaille College is footing the bill for the program in lieu of adding charges to their students' accounts.
Edwards said he believes that no matter which way UB plays it, the expenses will undoubtedly be passed on to students.
"If (UB) has to pay they're going to raise something else to cover those costs, so students will end up paying anyway," he said.
At Buffalo State College the student government took the issue to the student body where the vote was in favor of the program.
Nicole Williams, a senior broadcasting major at Buffalo State College, said she was pleased with the outcome of the vote.
"It's a great program because were college students and we don't have money.," she said. "Being from the city I'm used to my MetroCard, I'm not used to worrying about (finding change for the bus). "Having this card is great because I use it every week. They also have these shuttles around campus."
Andre Colquhoun, a junior computer science engineering major said, though he thinks the program is a good idea, if the issue went to the student body the verdict might keep UB out of the program.
"Not a lot of people take the bus, it's either they have a car or they find someone with a car," he said. "I'm sure some people use the public transportation system but not enough to get a vote in favor of (the program).
Williams said that though Buff State voted in favor of the program, many students have yet to take advantage of the service.
"Last semester we voted on it and it was like 800 to 100 in favor of (the program)," she said. "But a lot of people still haven't even picked up their cards."
Many UB students are siding with the administration in their condition that the program will be highly beneficial and should be made available to UB students - but only those who want it.
"I don't really take the bus that much for (the $25 fee) to be coming out of my pocket, but for someone who takes the bus regularly it would be beneficial," said Andrea Eastmond, a sophomore exercise science major. "It should just be for students who want to use it."
