Marriott begins checking IDs

By Chrissy Braden
Staff Reporter

Dining Services is increasing security against identification fraud by verifying that a student is only using his or her ID card in dining halls, said Rick Flores, general manager of Marriott Food Service.

“This is a security element,” Flores said. “We want to ensure that the funds are being used by the right person.”

TCU Police Det. Kelly Ham said about 10 stolen ID cards have been reported since August.

Flores said Dining Services is enforcing a policy already in place to check ID cards because misuse of the cards is out of hand.

“People are passing on their IDs, which could bring that person to have their funds misused,” Flores said.

Chrissy Braden/STAFF REPORTER Sarah Brand, an English and French major, has her ID card swiped by Linda Pullin, a cashier, Tuesday in Frogbytes. Dining Services recently started checking IDs to increase security.

Flores said more students use other students’ identification cards toward the end of the year because their dining plans are running low and other students are trying to use their minimum requirements. He said students have a right to purchase food for their friends, but because of the possibility someone may be using a stolen identification card, Dining Services has to enforce the policy.

“This is a way to control the damages of a lost ID,” Flores said. “By the time someone notices their ID is gone, someone else could have already spent a lot of money on it.”

Ali Strohl, a sophomore fashion promotions major, said she was glad ID cards were being verified.

“They should do it because anyone can get someone’s ID and use it,” she said.

Lisa Andersen, a sophomore radio-TV-film major, said she does not support the policy.

“It bugs me,” she said. “I have my friends get me stuff all of the time. If you lose your ID, you’re supposed to have it inactivated anyway. If you’re not going to do that and be careless, then it’s easy for someone to misuse your ID.”

Emily Burgwyn, director of student affairs information services, said missing ID cards should be reported immediately. She said ID cards are inactivated when they are reported missing, and students are issued new cards.

“We also encourage students to go to campus police and report the card stolen,” she said.

Flores said ID cards could be turned in at cashier stands in dining halls and at the Identification Center on the second floor of the Student Center.

“The Identification Center has a record of each transaction on a card,” he said. “They can tell how much money has been used since the card has been missing and credit that amount to your card.”

Burgwyn said reimbursement of missing funds are made to a student’s account on a case-by-case basis.

Flores said ID cards being used by anyone other than the owner would be confiscated and could be retrieved by the owner from a cashier.

Chrissy Braden
l.c.braden@student.tcu.edu