By Mashaal Hashmi

This morning, I received an email from the Cashier’s Office. After the normal, mini panic attack I had, featuring questions like “Oh gosh, did I miss a payment?” and “Are they about to kick me out of school?!” I actually read the email.

The email informed me I was no longer allowed to use BearBucks off-campus. I disregarded it and tossed it in the trash, going on with my daily routine.

But then — about 10 minutes later — it hit me. This does affect me, because I use BearBucks.

This is really annoying, actually.

The reasoning stated in the email is as follows:

“The decision to terminate the off-campus program is a joint one between Baylor and Wells Fargo Bank, our program administrator. This decision is also driven by the fact that the existing merchant equipment is obsolete and no longer repairable and the Bank can no longer provide staffing for a program that is now the only one of its kind.”

The email gave the additional reason of declining student participation for canceling the off-campus part of the program.

Now don’t get me wrong — I use my debit card when I go out to places that require me to go off campus that don’t use BearBucks.

However, I also have BearBucks for a particular reason: I feel safer. If I lose my debit card, it’s a huge ordeal to cancel and figure out all the paperwork.

If I lose my Baylor ID, on the other hand, all I have to do is just call the office or cancel the old card online and go pick up a new one at Clifton Robinson Tower.

Now that I can’t go off campus for some Taco Bell with my BearBucks, I would have to go home and get my debit card first.

This move means I’ll probably be less likely to go off-campus.

Aren’t we supposed to be trying to burst the Baylor Bubble?

Aren’t we, as students, encouraged to do more things for the Waco community?

I enjoy going out with friends and I like to use my BearBucks to do them.

There’s not a lot I can do about the rest of the student population going and using the machines that are currently “obsolete” or the fact that Wells Fargo Bank can’t provide staffing or anything like that—but I can definitely say that this is not helping the whole “getting out of the Baylor Bubble” thing.

Maybe there should be a new program, or maybe I’m the only one thinking all this — but hey, I’m a bit peeved for having to carry my debit card around for a drink at Common Grounds.

Mashaal Hashmi is a junior from Fort Worth. She is a copy editor for The Baylor Lariat.