No-fee ATMs on campus would be helpful to students, but the Student Association must spend more time researching the topic before trying to move forward.

The New York Public Interest Group presented SA members with research regarding on-campus ATMs at Monday’s meeting. SA President Dylan Lustig said his administration is working to eliminate the usage charge at on-campus ATMs.

NYPIRG polling showed about 80 percent of students are concerned with ATM fees and that students typically use ATMs more than twice a week. SA must continue to look into the research presented and should conduct research of its own as well.

SA must also find out if this option is feasible for the university. NYPIRG research said the cost could be offset if a third party sponsored the ATMs. This may be something university administrators are not open to. Or this could be an option the university has already explored and found unrealistic.

The problem may also lie in student spending habits. Do students need to use ATMs multiple times per week or could they go just once per week? Could students be using other ATMs around campus without being charged? Could students use cash-back options at CVS and other grocery stores instead of using the ATM machines?

Maybe instead of trying to get rid of ATM fees, SA can help educate students about their options to help students avoid ATM fees. If students are opening accounts with local banks, they may be able to avoid ATM fees. SA can research these options, too.

The research for this initiative should be delegated to a specific committee within SA, possibly the Student Affairs Committee. Now that the idea has surfaced in an SA meeting, SA must carry out the idea responsibly. 

Published on April 3, 2012 at 12:00 pm

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