Registration Today to Include Encoding of All Bursars Cards

Undergraduates registering in Memorial Hall today will queue up to have the stripe on their bursars cards validated with a magnetic code, R. Jerrold Gibson '51, director of the office of fiscal services, said last week.

The encoding is the first step in administration plans to test equipment designed to limit access to University facilities. Gibson said he hopes to experiment later this spring with shoe-box-like readers that scan the stripe to determine whether I.D. cards are valid and whether their holders are entitled to board privileges.

These experiments could eventually lead to introduction of an extensive, computerized system of bursars card readers in dining halls, libraries, and other University facilities, such as the University Health Services and the Indoor Athletic Building.

While Lamont Library and the Food Services Department have not yet agreed to test the equipment, Gibson said they have shown enough interest to make the encoding of student cards today worth-while.

Yes or No

Lucy M. Manzi, acting director of Lamont and Hilles Libraries, said last Friday that she will examine the readers sometime this week to determine whether to try them out in Lamont.

However, Frank J. Weissbecker, director of Food Services, said last week he will test the machinery only upon a request from the Committee on Houses and Undergraduate Life. Weissbecker added that he would not initiate CHUL consideration of such a test.

At registration today employees from the office of fiscal services will set up two encoding tables, one for students on board and another for those off board.

Each card will be checked first against a computer printout of identification numbers. Then it will be inserted into a pre-set encoder, which is a combination keyboard and display screen that costs about $6000. Finally each card will be tested in the $900 readers, which will flash a green light if the inserted card is properly encoded.

Faced with the prospect of long lines at registration caused by a check of each card against the computer print out, Gibson yesterday added plans to allow students to have their cards validated throughout this week at Holyoke Center.

In fall 1974 Harvard introduced the new I.D. card with plans to use its encodable stripe at various University facilities. However these plans fell through, including one to include the card in the operations of an on-line, automatic circulation system at Widener Library.

Gibson said last Friday he does not expect students to object to using card readers on campus because, he said, the readers are already used by banks and charge card companies. In addition, he said, "the advantages to limiting access so outweigh the inconveniences" that he believes students will accept installation of the readers.

"We as a University must do something with food charges going up," he said. "Students can't afford to pay for others, and it isn't fair for them to have to.