The PennCard software is getting its first makeover in six years, but its impact will be felt mainly be PennCard administrators, not card carriers.
The new software will mainly help the PennCard office handle what Business Services spokeswoman Barbara Lea-Kruger called "idiosyncratic" situations that come up occasionally.
"For infrastructure, we're always trying to make things easier," she said. "And this will help out in terms of handling those special circumstances."
Such cases might include those with a dual role at the University or someone with small payroll inconsistencies.
Suzanne Bellan - director of Campus Card Services - said that perhaps the most significant change might be a reduced delay between filing a complaint and getting the issue cleared up, at least for those in unusual circumstances.
"For those weird case scenarios, we'd be able to accommodate them while they're here in the office, rather than having to get back to them later," she said.
Additionally, the Information Systems and Computing Web site says the new application will "facilitate the inclusion of alumni within the PennCard system and improve the process of bringing new staff on-board."
The software rewrite will be launched in December of this year, but students will experience "no significant changes," according to Dan Shapiro, an information technology director in Penn's ISC office.
Shapiro said although the update is a "minor upgrade" it might represent "better infrastructure moving forward" should PennCard decide to make more significant changes in the future.
