Students get credit cards through USU
Credit cards are seen by some people as being bad, but everyone likes a free T-shirt or beanie.
That is the strategy many credit card companies rely on when targeting college students for cards sponsored by the schools they attend.
Utah State University is not exempt from this national trend.
Those people who attend football or basketball games at USU may see tables with piles of blue beanies and Aggie T-shirts they can own if they will apply for a credit card.
The only organization allowed to solicit on campus is the Alumni Association.
Marsha Carter, director of marketing and development for the Alumni Association, said Bank One (formerly First USA Bank) works with her organization in offering credit cards to students and alumni.
Student cards are supposed to have a low credit limit, she said.
The association receives one half of one percent of the total amount of any purchase made with the card, Carter said.
The number of cardholders fluctuates, but about 14,000 people have the card right now, she said.
Some alumni use the card as a way to give something back to the school. If they know they can pay off the balance in the coming month, they purchase things on their card, and they know part of the money will come back to USU, Carter said.
“There are people who just love this university,” she said.
One of the Alumni Association’s concerns is credit being obtained by students receiving their first credit card.
“We’ll have [Bank One] put on financial seminars on how to build credit and how not to build credit,” she said. “Obviously anybody who isn’t smart with the card is going to have trouble.”
Free financial counseling for students is available through the Family Life Center at 493 N. 700 East in Logan.
Everyone can and should benefit in some way from the cards being issued, Carter said.
One benefit is an increased number of scholarships available to new and transfer students through the Alumni Association.
“We think of anything we can to get scholarships,” Carter said.
Aggie Family Day, A-day, and Senior Send-off are all activities supported at least partially by revenues obtained through this credit card program, Carter said.
Shauna Jensen, staff assistant IV, said other credit card companies may be seen soliciting around campus, but they are not allowed.
“We do get requests from others that have been denied,” she said.
Carter said no one at the school receives money solely based on the contract with Bank One. Athletics allows the Alumni Association to use its events to solicit potential cardholders, but it does not directly receive reimbursment for that permission.
Companies that solicit other credit cards off USU property are not supported or endorsed by the university, Carter said.
-jonryan@cc.usu.edu