Card Briefs: 5 Universities Join Amex Unit's ID Plan

American Express Co.'s campus card systems subsidiary, Special Teams Inc., has a new CampusFunds program and five university buyers.

The five schools - University of Pittsburgh, San Diego State University, South Dakota State University, Weber State University, and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth - represent 110,000 students, faculty and staff. They will implement the magnetic stripe identification card system by fall semester.

Special Teams has been marketing multipurpose campus cards since 1985, but the new program takes advantage of American Express' clout as a payment company. American Express purchased Special Teams in May of 1995.

The cards will be used for ID, building access, purchases on campus, meal plans, vending machines and more. Nearby merchants can also participate. Parents deposit funds into a special account, which is debited as the card is swiped.

An American Express spokesman said the schools will not have to make a large investment since the payment company will provide, install, and wire all the terminals, and will manage the accounts and the system.

American Express will get transaction fees and float from the accounts, which are interest free. The cards will not bear an American Express logo, and will not act as charge or credit cards.

Though American Express is not promoting smart cards at this time it is ready to offer that technology if a client requires it, the spokesman said.