By Maryn Small | Broadcast Reporter
Baylor University began rolling out digital IDs in the spring of 2023. Now the university is transitioning away from physical cards altogether. This year, the incoming freshman class did not even receive a physical ID, only a digital one.
Senior Director of Public Safety and Security Donald J. (DJ) Rodman said they strive to always be at the forefront with technology when it comes to safety.
“That was really the initiative, as we’re seeing trends across higher education and across the nation to be able to harden our security here at Baylor University,” Rodman said.
Baylor’s Public Safety department partnered up with Information Technology Services (ITS) to create an innovative and effective solution for all students and their new digital IDs.
“Keys and card swipes are the prior technology, and so anything with keys or card swipes that can be duplicated takes it out of the control of physical security,” Rodman said. “And technological security, by creating a feature that would be a digital ID, it eradicates all that ability to be able to duplicate some type of ID system, like that. So really it creates a safer environment, because it really keeps the control within public safety and within (ITS) to be able to ensure the right people have the right access to the right location.”
The technology behind digital IDs has existed for several years, mostly for security purposes. It works in a way similar to how credit cards have shifted away from magnetic stripe to reduce fraud.
“We make sure that we’re meeting all of the standard cybersecurity protections that you would expect to protect personal information,” Associate Vice President & Chief Information Officer & Chief Information Security Officer Jon Allen said. “Everything for making sure the systems are scanned regularly and patched regularly, partnering with our solution providers to make sure everything is configured in a secure manner.”
These new digital IDs are already being implemented in places like the Dining halls, classroom buildings and other places. Allen’s plans for the future are to expand the use of digital IDs and take more precautions to ensure students’ safety and easy access.
“I think for most students, this has actually become a situation where it’s easier,” Allen said. “It’s a lot less friction, right? Even when you go through the dining halls, somebody’s not having to slide a card anymore, right? It’s just a quick tap and go, and I think from that perspective, we’ve actually increased security, but also increased the convenience for our students.”
