Blue Bucks allows students to use their Sycamore ID cards off campus

When both Lincoln and Sycamore Dining Halls have closed for the night, ISU students can now use Blue Bucks, a new currency that has been introduced by ISU Dining Services.

“[The program] allows students to expand the times they can eat,” said Sue Sluyter, district manager of ISU dining services. “Blue Bucks gives students the option to use money put on an account to buy a pizza and have it delivered.”

Blue Bucks, like Commons Cash, will be built into ISU students’ ID cards. The only difference is that Blue Bucks can be used at off-campus locations and any Sodexo operation on campus, excluding residence dining halls. Restaurants that have signed up so far include Roly Poly, Saratoga, Coffee Grounds, Pizza City, and 7th & Elm Bar and Grille.

“It’s a new and exciting program for students,” said Sluyter. “Blue Bucks also involves downtown merchants and the Terre Haute community.”

According to Sluyter, one of ISU’s goals was to involve businesses located close to campus. She believes that Blue Bucks helps to accomplish this goal.

Restaurants such as 7th & Elm Bar and Grille joined to make it more convenient for students who already attend.

“Blue Bucks open up the opportunity for ISU students to come in, enjoy good food and have another way to pay for their meal,” said Tom Hellmann, owner of 7th & Elm Bar and Grille.

Other locations around campus seem to have the same mentality.

“Pizza City is within walking distance of campus, and we also deliver,” said Donna Hux, owner of Pizza City. “We wanted to be part of the ISU community and make it easier for students to pay for their orders. However, I haven’t seen many students utilizing the Blue Bucks.”

There isn’t an actual number of how many students have signed up because it was just introduced at the beginning of the Spring 2010 semester. ISU students have heard of the program through e-mails sent out by ISU Dining Services, and some do plan to use Blue Bucks.

“I will use it because it will make getting coffee off campus easier and more efficient for me,” said Kynslee Roberts, freshman music education major. “I think it’s a great idea and [ISU Dining Services] should have thought of it earlier.”

However, some students are still skeptical of the plan.

“I believe the program has good intentions, but does need to be developed further,” said Ali Caldwell, sophomore elementary education major.

Blue Bucks is new to ISU’s campus, therefore Sluyter and her team are still working through technology issues. The options to sign-up online and check the balance will be made available to students soon, according to Sluyter.

Caldwell suggested some restaurants such as McDonald’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Olive Garden to be integrated into the program.

If students have suggestions, Sluyter said that they can call Off-Campus Solutions at 1-800-345-6126 and request the company to look into adding their favorite restaurants to the plan.

“They are always looking for input from students,” Sluyter said.

For more information on Blue Bucks, students can visit ISU Dining Services’ Facebook page. They can also enroll in the Blue Bucks program by going to the dining services’ office and sign-up using cash or any major credit card.