Photo by Ambarina Hasta | Mercury Staff.
Earlier
this month, the 7/11 store at Northside began accepting Comet Cash as a form of
payment.
Paulina
Schleppenbach, the director of the Comet Card office, said UTD students now
have the option of putting Comet Cash into a general account — via the GET
portal — and using that money both at on-campus vendors and select off-campus
vendors. Schleppenbach said it is important to distinguish between meal money
and Comet Cash, both of which are tied to Comet Cards.
“Students
also can have a meal plan and have meal money and swipes to enter into the
dining hall,” she said. “Those students cannot swipe or cannot purchase
anything at 7/11, if they don’t have Comet Cash. The meal money is separate
from the Comet Cash.”
Schleppenbach
said the off-campus merchant program began at the end of 2015. By the end of
2016, the program had three vendors — The Halal Guys on South Central
Expressway, Corner Bakery Café and Chipotle on Campbell Road. The most recent
vendors to join the program — in addition to the 7/11 at Northside — are Snappy
Salads on Campbell Road and American Tap Room at Northside. Schleppenbach said
both vendors and students benefit from the program.
“(The
students) are able to use other locations outside campus,” Schleppenbach said.
“The purpose of the program was to expand the services of the card and give the
students more options.”
Schleppenbach
said her office is updating its website and marketing and that she is hopeful
for more outside merchants joining the program in the near future.
“We always welcome any suggestions of vendors outside
campus that come from students that might be interested in using the card at
those locations,” Schleppenbach said. “We will be more than happy to forward
those leads to our outsource contract and see, hopefully, if they’re fine for
the program.”