Mastercard replaces U-Store charge card

Shopping at the Princeton U-Store has always been an experience unique to Princeton, from large stocks of orange and black baseball hats to countless shelves of tiger apparel. The store even has its own membership charge card. Well, at least until now.

During the summer, the U-Store discontinued its own membership cards and introduced a new U-Store MasterCard from MBNA.

The move to Mastercard was prompted by USG requests three years ago for a more useful card that could be used in local stores and restaurants.

U-Store Marketing Director Virginia France said the option was explored but could not be immediately implemented. She said the U-Store finally negotiated a deal with MBNA to answer the need for one card that could serve as a membership card and be used anywhere MasterCard is accepted.

France added that the switch to a credit card saves the U-Store money.

"Costs associated with handling our own card, and with people not paying the bill as well as physically manufacturing the cards, postage, etc. It adds up to a lot of money," she said. "The store is a co-op and we want to keep the profits and return them to the members."

Negotiations with MBNA were conducted by U-Store Manager Jim Sykes and Financial Officer Peter Vallero.

France said the U-Store chose MBNA because the company was understanding of students' needs, especially foreign students' lack of credit history.

"Foreign students find it very hard to get a credit card because they don't have credit histories and social security numbers," she said. "MBNA understood that helping [foreign students] is very important to us."

USG president Joe Kochan '02 said that though the idea of one card for students was good, he was not fully in support of the new U-Store card.

"The USG has always been supportive of the idea of a 'one card,' which would allow students to use their student account or something similar for all campus-related expenses," he said.

"Personally, I am not sure that I am in favor of the new U-Store card. It doesn't seem to add any benefit for students — almost all students have a credit card anyway, and having another isn't any more useful. What students liked about their U-Store card was that it could be used for student agencies and other things on campus. It now cannot, and I think that will be a loss for students," he added.

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Some students, too, seem unsure or even unhappy about the change.

Agatha Gilmore '04 said, "I like the advantages of Mastercard but it seems like a lot of people are having problems getting their cards and now they don't see a need for them because now it's not University-affiliated."