Warhawk ID Services underwent upgrades during winter break to improve the features and accessibility of the Student ID.

For ULM’s administration to catch up with trends in the education and marketing industry, the changes were necessary, according to Chance Eppinette, the ULM Information Technology Department director.

The ID management system now uses a platform called OneCard which offers similar services to the old platform. The previous card platform often malfunctioned which led the IT Department to make the switch.

“It is integrated with the Aramark point of sale system so any product bought from the POD, SUB or cafeteria uses a specific point of sale register system that is tied to the ID system,” Eppinette said.

In addition to the platform change, students can now access the One Web Portal which allows them to add money to their Warhawk Express account from their credit or debit cards. The One Web Portal ensures that the student’s card information is protected.

“This idea came about with the intent that one day the phone will be everybody’s identity,” Eppinette said.

For now, Warhawk ID Services is trying to transition into the new system. In the future, new features will be introduced. 

The OneCard platform also improves security at the point of sale register by popping up a photocopy of the Students’ picture ID whenever they make a purchase at any Aramark outlet on campus. That way, the sales clerk can match the face of the customer to the face on the card to lower the chances of IDs being stolen.

Ruth Williams, a Warhawks ID Services worker, said the process of getting an ID has not been effected by any of the changes made to their services by the IT Department.

However, Warhawks ID Services did receive a new system for the physical making of student IDs, but is not something for students to worry about.

“The new system is mainly different in operation on our end,” Williams said.

The pricing for getting an ID still remains consistent with the hold one, according to Williams. The only people affected by this change are the administrative staff that have to get accustomed to the new ID making system. The new system was adopted in an attempt to make getting an ID quicker.

Currently, Warhawk ID Services provides resources like meal plan access, Warhawk Express, building authorization and the creation of new student IDs. Warhawk ID Services used to offer voter registration but now the process is usually completed online.