The Colonel Card Office is re-issuing Colonel Cards for students who received their IDs before their student 800 numbers were embedded into the magnetic strip.Allison Ayo, director of the Colonel Card Office, said some students’ ID cards are no longer current because the University is phasing out social security numbers in favor of student 800 numbers to protect against identity theft. “The bottom line is security,” Ayo said.

Ayo estimated 2,500 students needed new Colonel Cards at the beginning of the semester and about 1,000 still have not obtained their new cards despite receiving multiple e-mails. “It’s hard to know the exact amount because everyday someone else comes in,” Ayo said.

Ayo urges students to get their replacement cards and to memorize their 800 numbers. Ayo said the University’s computer systems will eventually not recognize social security numbers, though there is no official cut off date. There is no charge for replacing an outdated Colonel Card.