Until recently, physical keys and plastic ID cards were the backbone of campus access control and services, often tied to disjointed systems. Today, students expect seamless integration of campus services, including building access, dining, vending, laundry, copy and print, transportation, and more—all accessible on their phones. Much like concert tickets, debit and credit cards, airline boarding passes, and in some states, drivers’ licenses, campus mobile IDs are stored in Apple and Google Wallets. Facilities managers play a critical role in implementing these systems and ensuring they operate smoothly, securely, and efficiently.
The Mobile-First Approach
The mobile-first approach involves prioritizing mobile devices as the main platform for accessing an array of services on campus. For facilities managers, this means adopting technologies that simplify operations and enhance the user experience. Phones now serve as gateways to essential services, such as digital campus IDs in Apple or Google Wallets that can enable building access, dining points, bus routes, class schedules, campus maps, and point-of-sale purchases. By integrating these functionalities with existing campus systems, campuses can improve efficiency while providing students, faculty, and staff with the convenience they demand.
Innovations in Campus Mobile Access Control
Mobile credentials are transforming access control by offering a more secure, flexible, and efficient solution for campus facilities. For facilities managers and card offices, mobile access control systems can help reduce the burden of managing physical keys and cards while enhancing security. Smartphones can replace traditional access methods, allowing users to access buildings and facilities with passcodes, apps, or their mobile wallets. This helps eliminate the risk of lost or stolen keys and enables real-time management, such as activating or deactivating credentials and updating permissions instead of replacing physical keys and rekeying doors.
Facilities managers and , staff also benefit from centralized monitoring and reporting tools, which provide insights into access patterns and help identify potential security risks, such as forced doors, propped doors or unauthorized access attempts. These tools allow facilities teams to better remotely assess the status of doors and access points, helping to pinpoint issues like security and maintenance issues. This reduces the need for staff to physically inspect doors, return to the facilities office for specialized tools or replacement parts, and then revisit the site to complete repairs, saving valuable time and improving operational efficiency.
Transforming Daily Campus Activities
The mobile-first approach extends beyond access control, transforming other campus services that facilities managers play a part in. Mobile credentials allow students to access the dining hall, purchase books, use the vending machines, do laundry, and pay for any copy/printed materials. Some universities, like Auburn University, enable students to use mobile credentials for purchases both on and off campus, expanding the use of mobile credentials. Parents of students can also benefit by tracking on- and off-campus spending habits and reloading funds to campus cards.
Challenges and Considerations
While mobile-first solutions offer significant benefits, campuses must address challenges related to data privacy, security, and system integration. Protecting sensitive information, such as access credentials, financial data, and personal details, is paramount. Robust security measures, including encryption and secure authentication protocols, are essential to safeguard user data and maintain trust. Campuses must also plan for regular security audits and updates to stay ahead of evolving cyber threats, such as phishing and malware attacks.
For facilities managers, integrating mobile-first systems with existing campus infrastructure requires careful planning to ensure seamless functionality and avoid disruptions to operations. One thing to consider is whether mobile credentials will work with existing readers and access hardware. For some campuses, updating these solutions across campus could be a huge undertaking. Campuses must consider whether the investment is proportional to the return. Additionally, facilities managers will need to plan carefully to avoid any hiccups in the process. It’s imperative to identify all potential use cases for mobile credentials across campus, which may reveal more areas of need than initially planned.
Interoperability between different systems can present challenges, especially when working with multiple vendors or legacy systems. Partnering with software providers that offer flexible integrations and ongoing support is critical to ensuring that new mobile solutions work harmoniously with new, existing, and future campus technologies. This helps minimize downtime, reduce implementation headaches, and ensure that facilities teams can maximize the benefits of mobile credential systems without compromising operational efficiency.
Finally, it’s important to remember that while the mobile-first approach will transition most campus’ students, faculty, and staff to mobile credentials, not all will move in this direction. There is still a small percentage of students who cannot afford a smartphone and the monthly service fees. There are summer campers and conference attendees who come to campus during off-peak months who need access to the campus residence halls and dining areas that may not be given a mobile credential. And there are those who simply may not choose to put a college or university ID on their personal device. Colleges and universities will not get completely away from printing campus ID cards, at least for some time.
Conclusion
The mobile-first approach represents a powerful tool for modernizing campus operations. By implementing mobile-enabled access control systems, integrated point-of-sale solutions and more, facilities teams can enhance security, optimize efficiency, and meet the expectations of today’s tech-savvy students. However, success requires balancing innovation with robust security measures and careful planning and system integration.
As campuses continue to evolve, facilities managers are integral to this transformation, ensuring that mobile-first solutions not only improve the student experience but also streamline operations and safeguard the campus community. By embracing this approach, facilities teams can help set a new standard for campus life—one that is more connected, efficient, and future-ready.
Jeff Koziol is the business development manager of higher education and student ID wallet credentials at security solutions provider Allegion.