Visa may not be everywhere Kent State students need it to be.

FlashCash, however, is a different story.

FlashCash, which acts as a debit card for students, can be used both on and off campus and for more than just food purchases, said Jim Razzante, assistant director of Dining Services.

According to the FlashCard Web site, off-campus businesses that accept FlashCash include Guy’s Pizza, Mike’s Place, Rockne’s, Susan’s Coffee and Tea and China City, among others.

Emily Douglass-Labbe, manager of Susan’s Coffee and Tea, said accepting FlashCash was a good business decision.

“We get a lot of students, professors and people who work for the university who come here,” she said. “I think (FlashCash) has improved our sales. It’s helpful to have another payment (option) out there.”

For freshman biology major Ghomathy Sivaram, FlashCash was the option she was looking for. As a commuter, Sivaram said she didn’t want to purchase a food plan but also didn’t want to worry about cash.

“I use FlashCash on campus,” she said. “It’s easier to carry around that one card than have lots of cash on me all the time.”

Sivaram also said she thinks FlashCash is a good option because if the card is lost, she doesn’t lose her money.

Razzante agreed, explaining students can deactivate their card if it’s lost.

Sivaram and Razzante are not the only people who see benefits to using FlashCash.

“So far this semester, we have had 13,319 students use the FlashCash plan at least once,” said Joseph Dunn, senior business manager of FlashCard Operations.

Along with using it off campus, students have the opportunity to use FlashCash in a variety of ways on campus, Razzante said. FlashCash can be used for copying and printing, purchasing items from the bookstore and making payments to the Bursar’s Office or Parking Services.

Razzante also said FlashCash is different than several of Dining Services’ food plans because the money carries over year to year and is fully refundable.

“It’s money that’s yours – it doesn’t revert to anyone else,” he said.

Students with questions regarding FlashCash can visit the FlashCard Office, located on the first floor of the Student Center, or call (330) 672-CARD for more information.

Contact room and board reporter Stephanie Park at [email protected].