With convenience points, Boston University students have the ability to use their Terrier Card for simple money handling on campus, but the system has gotten mixed reviews as many opt for paying with cash instead.
After BU automatically adds $20 to the cards of freshmen and transfer students living on campus, it is up to the students, or their charitable parents, to put extra funds on the card as they see fit, according to the BU Housing website.
According to the website, ‘Convenience Points can be used at all on-campus dining locations, for pizza delivery, and at Campus and City Convenience stores, Barnes & Noble at Boston University, concessions at Agganis Arena, athletic concessions at the Case Center, most vending machines on campus and laundry machines in the larger residences.’
BU also recommends ‘an opening balance of $700’ to ‘start off the academic year,’ according to the website.
Though unused points are carried over for use in the next semester, College of Fine Arts senior and George Sherman Union City Convenience employee Jessica Guglielmo said there is no advantage in using convenience points over cash.
‘ ‘I might as well just use cash because I would have to pay for them myself anyways,’ she said.
College of Communication sophomore Kendra Long said while she occasionally uses convenience points, she primarily pays with cash.
‘ ‘I know how much cash I have on me,’ she said as she bought a hot beverage at the Sleeper Hall Campus Convenience. ‘I don’t always keep track of the points.’
Conversely, College of Arts and Sciences senior Sriharsh Singh said he uses convenience points most times.
‘ ‘It’s safer,’ he said. ‘I don’t like carrying cash.’
But the students are not the only ones who have payment preferences.
Alec Vachev, assistant manager at the City Convenience at 957 Commonwealth Ave., said he prefers when students use the points over cash.
‘It’s easier and saves time,’ he said.’
But Vachev said besides faster service, the stores do not see any added gains when students use their cards.
At the Kenmore Square City Convenience, employee of eight years Carl Lovell said that points ‘are definitely used more than cash.’
Guglielmo said points and cash are used with fairly equal frequency at the GSU, though she sees more use of the points during the day versus at night.
But Vachev estimated that about 30 percent of the purchases are made with points and that the most popular form of tender is ‘cash, unfortunately.’
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