In a historic deal with Georgia State’s Panthercard Office, replacement panther cards will be free from Nov. 7th to Nov. 18th. This deal comes after the increase in price for new cards from $10 to $25, a 150% increase.
In communications with the Panthercard Office, the department stated that the increase came as a result of the new parking and card systems instituted this year, the cost of which they want to offload onto the students through the increased price. Forcing the student body to foot the bill for something we are already paying for through the money we spend to attend Georgia State.
The new parking system involved the retrofitting of every university parking deck on campus, doing away with the old budget card system to instead have charges be made through your Panthercard. The new Panthercard system went hand in hand with parking. The new cards have a different format and can be used for parking, dining on campus and other kinds of on-campus payments.
This issue first came to the forefront when Ira Livnat, the EVP of the Atlanta Campus SGA, was approached by multiple students complaining about the increased prices. A $25 expense to college students living penny to penny could mean the difference between eating and not eating their next meal.
After a few weeks of talks between Livnat and administrators, a deal was settled to create an amnesty period between Nov. 7th and Nov. 18th. During this period, replacement Panthercards will be free to all students. Also, the university has “committed to exploring the reduction of the cost of replacement cards” going into the spring semester.
This tension with auxiliary services, the department that contains the parking and Panthercard offices, dates back over a year ago. Back then, Livnat reached a deal with the parking department to reimburse students who had been spending extra money to park, unable to get their budget cards due to delays within the parking department.
After that battle, the need for a new parking system was made clear. This event expedited the process that would install this new system.
In a quote from Livnat, where he talks about this success and his continued advocating for the student body, he had this to say. “ I think victory is earned through tenacity. We persisted and so we came out victorious. Many people are afraid to ask, we see the injustices, we see the problem, but many people are afraid to ask. But at SGA that is our job. We succeed because we have no other choice. There’s absolutely nothing spectacular about what I did, anybody could have done it. I hope they see this as an invitation to start.”
As student leaders like Livnat keep fighting for students, it is important to become active participants in these events. Don’t allow injustices to go idly by, reject the notion that you have no control over your university and say something.
If you wish to replace a lost or damaged Panthercard, you may do so for free until Nov. 18th. Go to the Panthercard Office on the 2nd floor of Student Center West to get your replacement.
