In his last month as ASG President, senior Silas Russell is taking charge. He’s introducing the possibility of using Allegheny’s Insta-Gator ID cards to purchase goods at local businesses.

Russell proposed the idea in mid-January, although college officials have considered it for some time.

When the swipe cards were first introduced, administrators originally planned for them to be used off campus.

“However, it was a lot of work,” Russell said.

The plan resurfaced this semester after Giant Eagle approached the college to inquire about the possibility of installing card-swiping machines that would allow students to purchase groceries and other items with shop cash on their Insta-Gator ID cards.

Russell placed the cost of the card-swiping machines at approximately $1,000 a piece. The machines would be affordable for large chain stores like Giant Eagle, but their cost might make them less attractive to smaller local businesses.

“I had the idea that we would possibly run into problems,” Russell said. “I mean there are corporations like Giant Eagle with a lot of capital that can afford these machines, but a lot of locally-owned businesses can not.”

That’s where ASG comes in. “ASG could help to cover the initial upstart cost, so these small businesses could compete,” Russell said.

Though no other businesses have approached the college at this time, Russell said he’s optimistic about the future. “Businesses work to serve students, apply discounts, and basically attract student interest,” he said. “So I could not see why they would not to add this.”

Which businesses is ASG targeting as potential swipe-machine holders?

According to Russell, ASG would target only businesses in close proximity to the college that students frequent.

To insure satisfaction with the locations chosen, ASG distributed an online survey to the student body. According to survey results, 510 out of 550 participants indicated that they would be interested in this new program.

Among other questions, the survey asked students which types of businesses they visited most frequently.

Brett Fuchs, a class of 2010 ASG senator, said the survey attempted to gauge student response and input. It was also conducted to provide ASG with an idea about which business to approach first, he said.

According to Russell, Allegheny’s card-swipe system will closely follow the shop money program already in place at Mercyhurst College.

If picked up, the program will start out small in the first year, just to work out all of the kinks, Russell said.

There may be some restrictions on the card use, including the inability to purchase alcohol.

“We are still trying to figure out what exactly the limits of the card will be,” Russell said. “We do not yet know if we are going to include businesses that sell alcohol. So basically, it will stay out of the Sportsgarden.”

Although it’s still in the developmental stages, student response to this project has been positive.

“It really just depends on whether people like it or not, but later I guess it will depend on whether they want to use ATM, credit cards or their student ID,” Fuchs said.