Taking Pride in Behind-the-Scenes Work of the Card Office

Taking Pride in the Behind the Scenes Work of the Card Office

The campus card office rarely gets attention when things are going well. A student taps into a residence hall, swipes into the dining center, uses their ID card at the library, or accesses a campus service without even thinking about it... which is exactly how things are supposed to work.

But behind the curtain is a campus card office staff making it all possible. Sometimes that's a team, and sometimes It's just one individual. Some of the tasks involved in keeping a card program running are complex and require specialized skill, and some are tedious and never-ending. But all of the work happening behind the scenes deserves recognition and respect.

The campus card office = core campus infrastructure

People who don't know better tend to think of the card office as just a service desk that prints student ID cards. In reality, the campus card program is critical infrastructure for higher education institutions. (Some might even say the card is the gateway to campus life.)

Campus card offices manage systems that touch access control, campus security, dining, housing, recreation, libraries, attendance tracking, transportation, vending, printing, digital identity, and more! These systems must function without interruption across many departments, vendors, databases, and hardware infrastructure. 

When the campus card system works, students are able move through campus safely and easily. When something breaks, campus life can come to a halt.

Work in the card office prevents problems before they happen

One of the hardest parts of working in a card office is that your success often goes unseen and unrecognized.

• A residence hall door works seamlessly because you reviewed access permissions ahead of time.
• A student is able to move in without problems because cards were tested weeks earlier.
• A mobile credential rollout succeeds because card office staff planned, tested, coordinated, and communicated before launch.

Preventative work and planning are the foundation of a strong campus card program, even though the fact that everything "works as expected" rarely generates public praise. Card office staff spend a significant amount of time solving problems before anyone else knows they exist, and when campus life flows seamlessly and people move through their day without disruption, it is largely because the card office has already quietly done the work.

Pride grows when others appreciate the work

Sometimes it can be difficult to take pride in work that others do not understand. Card offices can build respect by explaining their work in ways that connect to outcomes that resonate with others.

• We reduced move-in access issues so students could get into their residence halls without long lines, frustration, or late-night lockouts.

• We ensured housing and card system integrations worked seamlessly so student room assignments and access permissions were accurate from day one.

• We enabled thousands of students to access dining halls quickly and reliably every day, reducing congestion and keeping operations running smoothly during peak meal times.

• We simplified credential issuance so new students felt welcomed and prepared rather than confused or delayed during their first days on campus.

• We strengthened campus safety by upgrading access control in high-traffic and high-risk areas, helping prevent unauthorized entry while maintaining ease of movement for students and staff.

Respect for card professionals grows when leadership and other departments fully realize how the campus card office supports safety, student success, and institutional operations. 

Campus card professionals hold critical institutional knowledge

Campus card systems are complex by design. They live at the intersection of technology, policy, compliance, security, and human behavior. Knowing how those forces interact is not intuitive and cannot be learned quickly. This specialized knowledge is earned through experience. It is built through years of problem-solving during move in weekends, system outages, policy changes, vendor transitions, and moments when something goes wrong and everyone looks to the card office for answers.

Seasoned card professionals know what will break during finals week before it breaks. They know when a system change is routine and when it carries real risk. They understand the downstream effects of decisions that may seem small to others but have campus wide consequences.

That knowledge is of great value, and is also institutional memory. It protects students, staff, and the university itself. The long term health of any campus card program depends on it. That's something to be proud of.

Card office work can make or break the student experience

For many students, the campus ID card or mobile credential is the first tangible symbol that says they belong on campus. When credential issuance is smooth, students feel welcomed. When access control works reliably, students feel safe. When systems are designed equitably and accessibly, students feel supported. Even when no one notices, the work you do is making all the campus activity possible.

Building pride starts inside the card office

Though it is important to share the story of your card office with others, building pride starts in your own office. Here are some ways to begin:

• Document wins and improvements. Keep an ongoing history of your card program and infrastructure. 
• Mentor new staff. You never know when a part-time college student may end up a lifelong campus card professional thanks to your support and guidance. It's a story that many NACCU members share in common!
• Advocate for resources. Build your on-campus network so that others can share the importance of the card office.
• Look for opportunities to share credit with others. When people feel appreciated for their role in a successful project, they feel ownership and responsibility for it. 
• Acknowledge that this work is skilled and essential. Even if your institution doesn't (yet) understand the importance of your work, at NACCU we know just how critical card services are to the institution.

The campus card office is foundational to campus operations, security, and student life. Your work behind the scenes keeps campuses running... and that is worth taking pride in.