In the nearly four years since Harvard launched Crimson Cash, people are putting more and more money on their Harvard ID cards and on separate Crimson Cash cards. But University officials say the program, which currently has a balance of about $250,000, has yet to make money for Harvard.

The Crimson Cash program, run by Harvard University Dining Services (HUDS), allows Harvard ID cardholders to deposit money in a special Crimson Cash account via Value Transfer Stations (VTS) around campus, over the phone, at the Dining Services Director's office or at a new VTS Website.

The accounts can then be accessed at locations around campus and Harvard Square--from laundry rooms to restaurants to libraries to The Coop--by swiping their card through a Crimson Cash reader.

Probably for security reasons, Cross says, he saw a surge at the beginning of the year in student Crimson Cash balances as parents put money on their sons' and daughters' cards, most likely for purchasing textbooks and dorm paraphernalia.

After the initial surge in many individual accounts, says Raymond R. Cross, Associate Director of Finance and Information Systems at HUDS, the balance went down in most cases to an average of $50 or $60.

"In the past, the average balance during the year was only about $12 or $15. But now, with additional services offered, the average deposit is getting bigger and we are seeing the cash balance growing," he says.

Since Crimson Cash is accessed through ID cards, any of the 130,000 people affiliated with the University may use the program.

Out of those 130,000 cardholders, Cross says, there are about 23,000 active accounts now.

With the addition of new services and new locations at which to use Crimson Cash, Cross and HUDS Director Ted A. Mayer both say they expect to see the number of active accounts grow.

Crimson Cash can now be used to pay for equipment and repair services at the Technology Product Center, purchases at the Coop, photocopies and sourcebooks from Printing and Publishing Services, photocopies at libraries and student phone bills, as well as food and laundry.

"There are lots of places to use Crimson Cash, and we think people will take advantage of that," Mayer says.

A Cash-Free Campus

Crimson Cash is the third of three phases of services following the installation of the access card system several years ago, says Mayer.

The first phase was using students' ID cards to obtain accurate meal counts in the dining halls, he says.

Every time a card is swiped through a card reader, including at mealtimes, the transaction is recorded.