Bobcat Card Office
Section 8.05.00 - BOBCAT CARD OFFICE
Section 8.05.01 - MISSION
- The Bobcat Card Office, an integral part of GC's learning environment, seeks to enhance the quality of campus life by providing for convenience, physical and financial security, and identification for GC students, faculty, staff, and visitors through excellent customer service and the use of the Bobcat Card.
- The purpose of this procedure is to provide a means for effective and efficient access to campus services, accounts, privileges, and facilities of Georgia College, utilizing advanced technology associated with a one-card system known at this time as the Bobcat Card.
- Complete information on the Bobcat Card, its Terms and Conditions and more information on its uses may be found on the web at (http://www.gcsu.edu/bobcatcard/index.htm)
Section 8.05.02 – ISSUE and REPLACEMENT
- The Bobcat Card is a multipurpose identification and on-line debit card. It is an important part of every student's life. The first Bobcat Card is issued without charge to students upon initial enrollment. The card bears a student's name, student identification number, photograph, bar code, and magnetic stripes.
- The Bobcat Card is the property of Georgia College & State University and needs to be in the student's possession at all times to access university property and identify the individual as being authorized to use university assets.
- The Bobcat Card must be presented when requested by any university official and surrendered to university officials upon request.
- All students are responsible for controlling their Bobcat Card. The use of the Bobcat Card to obtain goods and services from the University is restricted to the individual to whom the card is issued. Cards that are used by someone other than the owner will be taken up and destroyed.
- The cardholder will be charged a $25 replacement fee, if the card has not been suspended.
- Any misuse of the Bobcat Card and its accounts will result in de-activation and account closure.
- Please retain your Bobcat Card upon leaving the University, if you return later without it you will be charged a replacement fee.
- If your card is lost or damaged a replacement fee will be charged.
Section 8.05.03 – CARD SUSPENSION
A. The Bobcat Card may be suspended or revoked when it appears the card is reported lost, being misused or the student account is overdue. The following process details the procedures for suspending a card for specific cases.
- No Shows: Defined as students who signed up to attend GC and signed up for University Housing, but who never registered for class
- A list of no-show’s is sent from the Registrar’s Office to Housing about two weeks after classes begin, confirming information Housing has from their records.
- Housing should confirm that the student has not physically moved in, and immediately drop their Housing charges.
- If a Bobcat Card has been issued for the student, it should be immediately suspended. Housing should notify the Bobcat Card Office via email.
- Students Who Register for Class(es), but Their Registration Gets Dropped for Non-Payment of Fees:
- The Registrar’s Office drops the student’s registration/classes approximately two weeks after classes begin.
- The Registrar’s Office sends a list to Housing.
- The Business Office sends a list to the Bobcat Card Office, for Bobcat Cards to be suspended immediately, until payment is received.
- If Housing’s payment is not received within two weeks, Housing evicts the student and prorates their charges for the time spent in Housing.
- The Business Office handles collection of outstanding balances due.
- Students on the Monthly Housing Payment Plan:
- At 1st Late Payment Offense:
- Late Fee is assessed by Housing.
- Housing sends overdue notice to student via email.
- At 2nd Late Payment Offense:
- Second Late Fee is assessed by Housing.
- Housing notifies student that he/she is ineligible to continue the monthly payment program, that the full Housing fees will be applied immediately, and that his/her Bobcat Card will be suspended until payment is received
- Housing applies full Housing fees to student account, and they are due immediately.
- Housing notifies the Bobcat Card Office to suspend the student’s Bobcat Card until payment is received.
- Business Office collects full balance from student.
- Late Meal Plan Payments (does not apply to 25 Block plans added after classes begin, since they aren’t effective until payment is rec’d):
- Payment is due on 1st day of classes.
- Two weeks later: Business Office sends notice to student via email telling them to pay within 10 calendar days or Bobcat Card will be suspended until paid.
- Ten days after this email notice, Business Office notifies Bobcat Card Office to suspend card (making meal plan inaccessible as well), and sends hardcopy letter to student to tell him/her the card has been suspended, and payment must be made within ten days or bill will be turned over to collection agency.
- Ten days after this hardcopy letter notice, Business Office sends certified letter to student to tell him/her the bill has been turned over for collection.
Section 8.05.04 - CASH HANDLING PROCEDURES
A. Cash comes into the Bobcat Card Office in two ways: 1) deposits of cash at Value Transfer Stations (VTS) around campus and 2) deposits of cash including CatCash, lost card fees, and nursing student hospital ID badges at the Bobcat Card Office.
- Value Transfer Stations: The Card Office Technician collects money daily from the Value Transfer Stations around campus. A report slip is generated at the VTS machine that gives the breakdown on the denominations of cash deposited from the last time the money was taken out. The Technician brings the cash and the deposit report slips back to the Card Office for processing by The Card Office Manager.
Cash, Checks, and Credit Cards collected at the Card Office
- Cash: The cash collected each day is locked in the safe or portable lockbox overnight and accounted for the next day along with the cash collected from the Value Transfer Stations. The cash and a transmittal accounting for the cash collected the previous day are typically submitted to the Business Office daily.
- Checks: Upon receiving the checks, they are stamped with the "Georgia College Deposit Only" stamp. The checks are entered into a check log. The checks and a transmittal accounting for the checks collected the previous day are typically submitted to the Business Office daily.
- Credit Cards: Credit card transactions are done per phone and in person at the Card Office. A copy of the credit card receipts and a transmittal accounting for the credit card receipts collected the previous day are typically submitted to the Business Office daily.
8.05.05 RED FLAG PROCEDURES
A. In order to obtain a Bobcat Card, students, staff, and faculty must provide a valid driver’s license. Students, staff, and faculty that request a replacement Bobcat Card are either visually verified by the photo that is on file with the Card Office or the driver’s license photo prior to producing a replacement card.
- The Bobcat Card Office staff members are trained to visually verify any student, staff, or faculty that requests an initial Bobcat Card.
- The Bobcat Card Office staff members are trained to visually verify a current Bobcat cardholder by the photo on file at the Card Office or the driver’s license photo (if the cardholder’s personal appearance is different than the picture on file with the Card Office) prior to producing a replacement card.
- Each staff member must verify that training has been received by signing a Red Flag training sign-off sheet.
8.05.06 REFUNDS
A. In order to obtain a refund on any CatCash or Dining Dollar balance, the student must be transferring, graduating or officially withdrawing from GC and must accomplish their exit process with the Registrar and Business Office. Refunds will be conducted in accordance with the Terms and Conditions stipulated on the Bobcat Card Agreement form
- Upon confirmation that a student is terminating, the Bobcat Card Office will deactivate the student card thereby freezing any balance. The student will submit a written request to have the balance refunded. Funds will be credited first toward the student’s GC Student Account, and a check will be issued as part of the normal GC check run for any remaining funds.
8.05.07 DEPARTMENTAL CHARGES
A. The Bobcat Card is a one-card system utilized throughout campus for access, accountability and funds transfer. GC has determined that each department will absorb some of the cost for using the card and will be charged on a monthly or annual basis for its use.
- Departmental charges are accomplished through an internal process of funds transfer on a monthly or annual basis based on the usage of the card.
- In certain instances where card usage is continuous and tallying a monthly rate is not feasible, a standard monthly charge will be assessed (ex. University Housing).