Terrier Card opens doors on campus

Each new Boston University student will soon learn that a 2-by-4-inch piece of plastic is one of the most important parts of living on Commonwealth Avenue. Each Terrier Card has the student’s name, picture and identification number and should be treated as a student’s prized possession. The Terrier Card is an electronic key that can grant access to the major dormitories and also keeps track of a meal plans and dining and convenience point balances. Students choose from six dining plans before coming to campus. Each plan offers a specific number of meals per week or per semester. These plans also come with dining points for additional food purchases outside dining halls. Each plan comes with a set dining point balance, ranging from $125 to $495 each semester. The more meals provided in the plan, the fewer dining points awarded to the student. Dining points carry over from fall to spring semester, but do not carry over academic years. Students can use their dining points at any of the locations in the Union Court in the George Sherman Union, the School of Management Starbucks and Breadwinners and at Healthy Blends in the Fitness and Recreation Center. Students looking for an evening snack after most dining locations have closed may use dining points at Late Nite Café, a dining option offered in every residence dining hall. Late Nite’s options include mozzarella sticks, chicken fingers, sandwiches and smoothies. As students figure out their eating schedules, they have the option of changing their dining plans during the first 10 weeks of the academic semester by requesting a change at the Terrier Card office in the basement of the GSU. Students also have the option of purchasing convenience points, which are campus currency accepted at the GSU food court, laundry machines in larger residences, Barnes ‘ Noble at Boston University, Campus and City Convenience stores, Agganis Arena concessions stands, most campus vending machines, University Computers and for Dominos’s Pizza delivery. The BU convenience stores, commonly called Camp-Co and City-Co, are located in the Warren Towers Residence Hall, Kenmore Square, the GSU and Sleeper Hall. About one-third of the transactions at the stores are paid for with convenience points, said Chris Christensen, the director of operations for City and Campus Convenience stores. Freshmen and transfer students receive a $20 convenience point balance at the beginning of the academic year. Students can purchase convenience points by check, charging to their student account or through an online credit card purchase. The Terrier Card also allows students to gain access to FitRec, to purchase hockey or basketball tickets at Agganis Arena and to attend live performances at BU Central. But the Terrier Card’s advantages do not end at BU. Boston is a college town, and many businesses, restaurants and museums also offer discounts to college students when they show their Terrier Card.