University of Iowa students, faculty, and staff will soon be able to use their university identification cards as proximity cards to access buildings or rooms on campus.

Facilities Management, the Department of Public Safety, and Information Technology Services are working together to integrate Iowa One Cards with the university’s electronic access control systems.

The systems are installed on more than 1,100 doors in 60 buildings, including all of the university’s residence halls. Most academic buildings are unlocked during the day. Access rights are granted based on the academic or business need to be in a particular room or building after-hours.

The university has had electronic access control systems on campus for more than 20 years, but has been issuing separate proximity cards for locked doors. Prox cards offer higher security than keys because when they are lost, or when the cardholder leaves the university, the cards can be deactivated remotely.

Adding prox card functionality to the Iowa One Card unites essential card services on campus and as a result simplifies life for both card issuers and card holders.

“Having a separate proximity card is expensive and time-consuming, so switching to just one card will reduce our overhead costs,” says Ann Rosenthal, associate director of Building and Landscape Services at the UI. “And students, staff, and faculty who use prox cards won’t have to worry about keeping track of two different cards. The Iowa One Card is used for a lot of things and people do a good job taking care of it. It is far less likely to get lost, stolen, or forgotten.”

University students, faculty, and staff (excluding those required to wear a UI Health Care ID badge) are encouraged to upgrade their Iowa One Card this summer at a satellite station in the Iowa Memorial Union. Hours for the satellite station are posted at idcard.uiowa.edu/iowa-one-card.

There is no cost to upgrade to the new card. New incoming students will get the upgraded cards when they attend Orientation this summer.

In addition to serving as the university’s official photo identification card, the Iowa One Card also can be used to check out library materials, purchase books and supplies from the University Book Store, use the laundry facilities in the residence halls, enter athletic events, and more. Card holders also have the option of using the card as an ATM/PIN-based debit card if they choose to have an account at Hills Bank & Trust.

“This transition is really about improving security across the university and making prox card technology more convenient for our students, faculty, and staff,” Rosenthal says.