Card, mobile credential, payment and security
Brigham Young University’s robust security program includes 25 officers, 15 supervisors, and 400 academy-trained student employees. To better coordinate these departments, BYU wanted a solution that would unify operations and improve efficiency. They selected Genetec's Operations Center, a solution for designed for security that is built into Genetec’s Security Center SaaS offering.
BYU already used Genetec’s Security Center, so the integration made sense.
The addition of Operations Center has helped consolidate tasks into a single system, replacing disconnected tools and manual processes while improving visibility across the enterprise.
Before you had to be listening over the radio and paying mental attention, but now we are keeping track of our officers better. They are also able to keep track of where they and their fellow officers need to be.
It’s enabled BYU to automate key processes such as nightly checks, equipment inspections, and building audits. These tasks are now scheduled and managed automatically, reducing workload on dispatchers as well as the potential for error.
As an example, every night BYU conducts code four checks with different divisions on campus.
“Before the dispatcher had to manually enter that call and remember to check with each individual division, whereas now it automatically creates that card,” says Joshua Frizell, Student Manager, BYU Security. “Same thing can be done for equipment checks, building inspections, any sort of process that can be automated.”
The mobile app enhances situational awareness for field officers, providing real-time updates on assignments and facilitating compliance with operational procedures.
“It allows us to keep track of officer locations,” explains Kaemon Cole, Student Manager, BYU Security. “Before you had to be listening over the radio and paying mental attention, but (now) we are keeping track of our officers better, and they are able to keep track of where they and their fellow officers need to be.”
BYU also uses Operations Center to:
Genetec’s Operations Center allows BYU to customize workflows and reports for each department’s specific needs. From tracking officer locations to managing inventory and generating incident reports, the platform adapts to support the university’s diverse security teams.
BYU reports that it is now better able to coordinate security efforts. Communication and data sharing is enhanced, and automation of routine processes is freeing teams to focus on higher-priority responsibilities.
Smart lockers are a growing trend on higher ed campuses, but other markets are also getting on board. It is often beneficial to look to other use cases to spark ideas for your own applications, and the efforts of a Minnesota public library system is a perfect example.
The use of smart lockers for distribution of library materials is not entirely new to higher ed, but what about extending the convenience to locations in the community?
That is what the Washington County Free Library (WCFL) did when they expanded their smart locker network to include new locations at local shopping centers.
The lesson for campuses is that they evaluated where and when their customers wanted service, and it was not between 9 am and 6 pm at a building across town.
The shopping center locations complement the four existing locker installations at library branches, further enhancing patrons' ability to access materials beyond traditional library hours. A book return box is also available at each of the six locker sites, providing a streamlined borrowing and return process.
Many of today’s library users, like any other service users, are looking for convenience and speed. The smart locker system allows them to retrieve reserved books and materials at any time, day or night, without stepping foot in the building or waiting in line.
Users reserve materials through the library’s online catalog and select their preferred pickup location. Library staff then delivers the reserved materials to the lockers.
Next, the patron receives an automated notification that the pick-up is ready. At the locker, they scan their library ID card, and the locker containing their materials opens.
"We are always looking for innovative ways to serve our community better," says Jenny Bakos, Executive Director of WCFL. "With the expansion of our smart locker system, we are extending our reach beyond traditional operating hours, ensuring that everyone has access to the resources they need, whenever they need them."
WCFL’s smart lockers feature touchscreen interfaces, secure compartments, and real-time notifications. The library says the initiative aligns with their strategy to leverage technology to enhance service delivery and accommodate the needs of busy individuals and families.
Common applications for smart lockers in higher ed include food pickup; mail and parcel delivery; lab equipment borrowing; and course and library materials checkout.
These lockers are typically positioned at or near the service initiation point, such as the library or dining hall. Though rare, in certain cases like parcel delivery, lockers may be extended to residence halls or central gathering points.
Parcel pickup could be extended into the community at off-campus residence buildings and other locations frequented by students.
The interesting point from WCFL’s use is that they evaluated their customer needs. They saw where and when they wanted service, and it was not always between 9 am and 6 pm at a building across town.
They took lockers to shopping centers and thus took their services to their patrons.
How could this concept be extended to higher ed?
In each scenario, the campus card or mobile credential could be the key to opening the locker.
Making products and services more accessible increases sales and makes for happier customers. Of course, the ROI on the lockers must be considered as well as the staffing cost to deliver product to the field. Modern consumers, however, have demonstrated willingness to pay for convenience, so there are many ways to make a smart locker program profitable.
The current state of campus access control was the focus of a joint panel discussion with members of the Northeast Colleges and Universities Security Association (NECUSA) and NACCU. Topics surrounded reporting structures, obstacles, investments, lockdowns, and plans for access control on campus.
Panelists included leading institutions in the Northeast:
John Ogle, NACCU’s Membership Experience and Education Director, moderated the event. Panelists provided their perspective on the topics below. Ideas from one of the speakers is highlighted following each topic.
The full session is time well spent, but the time codes for each topic are provided below if you want to skip to specific topics.
Meghan Rosenberg, Associate Director of OneCard & Parking Management Services, Babson College, Wellesley, MA
Our office falls directly under Public Safety, so I'm a direct report to the Chief of Police. We use C-Cure for our access control system, and we currently have magstripe and prox credentials.
All of our residential buildings are card access, and we are in the process of adding card readers to all exterior doors on our administrative buildings as well. We're hoping to wrap that up by January 2026. We are hoping also to transition to mobile credentials within the next two years.
Patricia Groeber, Associate Director of Public Safety, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY
Access control falls fully under public safety along with the monitoring of alarm systems – so we make the access control decisions. We work closely with our card office who does the issuing of cards, but we do all the programming and decision making on that front.
Our fiscal plan assists us with repairs, and while we consult student life and the building coordinators for basic decision making and policy setting, we have a pretty strict control of all systems. No one else can alter access.
We use a contractor to manage major projects. It handles our access control panels, our readers, and other infrastructure when we go into big building projects.
Stephen Donnelly, Manager of ID & Access Control, Yale University, New Haven, CT
We've had access control for a long time, and upgrades have come incrementally. So we have a mixed bag of modern and older technology in terms of readers on the walls, which is probably the most expensive part of all this.
Instead of Yale owning the building they're leasing out large office buildings. Synchronizing how the access works across systems is a challenge.
In terms of challenges with access control, I'd say a lot of our challenges internally come from conferences and events as well visitors, and managing how they get access and what the rules are for that.
The other big thing I'm dealing with is the trend toward using leased properties. Instead of Yale owning the building they're leasing out large office buildings. There's a different building management company and synchronizing how the access works across systems is a challenge.
I'm dealing with three different buildings coming online right now in that situation and it's something I don't hear a lot of people talk about.
Tim Munro, Director of Campus Safety, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
I'll say we've only practiced lockdowns. We haven't had to do it yet, but we can, in theory, lock down every building with an access system on it, which is 90% of our campus right now.
Our plan right now is to lock the exterior doors only. We have the ability to lock the interior doors if they have access control on them, but we are electing not to do that right now.
We can do that relatively quickly. We've practiced it a bunch of times. The campus safety officer on the desk has the authority to institute a lockdown. No requirement of getting approval. That's written into our procedures, which I was very thankful to have.
Cesar Robles, Director of Technology for Campus Safety, Mercy University, Dobbs Ferry, NY
We are an open campus. We know that we can't prevent everyone from coming on campus, so at least let's focus on the individuals that are coming in with vehicles.
We go back to the system and pull the license plates and then continue the investigation with our surveillance system to identify the individual.
We implemented video at the gate, and it’s worked tremendously for us. For every vehicle that comes on campus, the license plates are scanned, access is provided with those scans.
We have cameras at the gate house, so any issues that we had we were able to solve. We could go right back to the system and pull the license plates and then continue the investigation with our surveillance system to find out who that person was. It's been a tremendous help.
We have a project going on right now in one of our dorms where we're adding turnstiles, because although we had readers on the doors, we had people piggybacking when someone swipes in.
To access the recorded version of the discussion, click on the image at the top of this page.
This is an example of the unique educational opportunities provided to NACCU members. Please consider becoming a member of the only association dedicated to serving professionals who manage campus identification programs on higher education campuses.
With an enrollment of more than 3,200 students, Northeast Mississippi Community College (NEMCC) faced significant challenges with its outdated card and physical security systems. The door access solution had reached end-of-life, and their manual card production process was time-consuming and inefficient.
Students had to wait in long lines for manual ID processing, taking photos, and printing their TigerOne cards.
NEMCC wanted to integrate the ID and door access systems to remove friction for students entering campus buildings while reducing administrative burdens. They sought an integrated, cloud-enabled solution.
“We were looking for something that was robust in terms of what it could do, but also something that we could implement over time,” says Chris Murphy, NEMCC’s Vice President of Finance.
As an existing client of Transact Integrated Payments, they evaluated the company’s other solutions and found they could be an ideal fit.
NEMCC adopted Transact IDX, Transact Door Access Control and Security, and Transact Online Photo Submission.
We were looking for something that was robust in terms of what it could do, but also something that we could implement over time.
These solutions helped improve efficiency and create a contactless, mobile-friendly campus experience. The transition to a cloud-based system reduced the workload for the small IT staff, eliminating the need for manual maintenance and hardware support.
“Before Transact IDX, the main pain point was in our housing office where they generated the ID cards,” says Mark Nichols, Director of Information Technology, NEMCC. “The old system was forcing students to come in to take photos.”
Today, students upload their ID photos anytime and from anywhere.
The business office also benefited from the upgrade. Previously, students had to visit the office to check their Tiger Bucks flex account balances. Now, they view their balances and add funds directly from their mobile devices.
NEMCC is preparing to launch mobile credentials, making it one of the first institutions in Mississippi and one of the first community colleges to introduce the NFC-enabled mobile IDs.
According to Murphy, the college leadership was inspired by a video case study of another institution successfully using this technology. This prompted them to pursue the upgrade.
The launch is planned 2025 at which time students will be able to store their TigerOne ID in their digital wallets. At the same time, administrators will gain enhanced tools to track and control access, reinforcing campus security.
Overall, Nichols says the adoption of Transact solutions has led to a more efficient, modernized student ID system. It has enhanced security, improved administrative workflows, and provided students with a seamless, contactless ID experience.
Community colleges serve nearly one-third of all undergraduates in the US, but ID and payment technology at two-year institutions has lagged traditional colleges and universities.
One of the key challenges facing community colleges is delivering a seamless digital experience to diverse student populations. To address this, institutions are adopting mobile platforms and integrated systems to enable students to access resources whenever and wherever they need them.
A recent article from TouchNet explores how community colleges are implementing innovative technologies to improve student services.
At Portland Community College a virtual one-stop shop consolidates multiple student services into one online location. This provides expanded self-service options and easier access to customer support.
The college tracks the type and volume of delivered services, using the data to inform staffing schedules to ensure that students receive the support they need.
In addition to enhancing student services, they are simplifying payment solutions to support student success.
Frederick Simmons, Student Account Services Manager at Portland Community College, discussed his work to improve customer service and student success in a recent podcast. It’s a model to which any card office or auxiliary service unit could aspire.
Portland Community College migrated the one-stop shop concept from a physical environment to a virtual realm.
Its Zoom Room concept brings together siloed services and creates a single point for student services and customer support. Students log in remotely to access various services, such as payment plans, tuition refunds, and account management all in one place. Students can access the services they need without having to physically visit the campus.
It enables staff to warm transfer students to other departments, reducing the need for students to repeat information and improving the overall experience.
The Zoom Room is available Monday through Thursday from 9am to 5pm, and on Fridays, staff are fully remote but still available through Zoom or chat. The flexibility of the Zoom Room has been well-received by students and staff alike, allowing for a more flexible schedule and improved work-life balance.
The online service customer support center also allows students to manage their accounts, access auxiliary services, and make payments online. This helps both Zoom Room users and those that choose to visit offices by reducing in-person wait times.
The college tracks the type and volume of delivered services, using the data to inform staffing schedules to ensure that students receive the support they need.
Simmons says the Zoom Room has been a game-changer for Portland Community College, providing a more streamlined and student-centered approach to student services.
In this episode of CampusIDNews Chats, Danny Smith, co-founder and co-owner of Color D, announces the company’s acquisition of CardExchange, a long-time partner in identity and credential management solutions. Smith describes that the move is intended to increase ColorID’s ability to offer more integrated and flexible identity management systems for higher ed and other markets.
For more than 20 years, CardExchange has been a key partner in developing sophisticated, custom identity solutions, helping ColorID implement complex credentialing projects. The acquisition cements their long-standing collaboration, enabling a more seamless approach to providing cloud-based identity solutions.
A major focus of the acquisition is CardExchange’s cloud platform, which has been in development for the past four to five years. This system allows institutions to manage credentials across different modalities—physical, mobile, and biometric—while integrating with multiple third-party applications and access control systems.
With the acquisition, Smith says ColorID will be able to provide universities with greater control over their identity infrastructure. Traditionally, identity management has been tied to one-card system or physical access control (PAC) platforms. He argues, however, that universities should own and manage their own identity ecosystems.
This would allow them to switch service providers or integrate new technologies without being locked into a single vendor. The CardExchange acquisition, Smith says, enables ColorID to deliver an agnostic integration platform, helping institutions centralize identity management while maintaining interoperability with existing systems.
One of the most notable applications of CardExchange’s solutions is the NYU project, where the platform was used to unify credentialing across 14 global campuses. The success of this implementation demonstrates the scalability and adaptability of CardExchange’s technology.
Listen to the full interview, by clicking the image at the top of this page.
Though most of the conversation revolves around improvements in the student experience, there are also administrative benefits of mobile credentials that significantly impact campus card offices and auxiliary operations.
In a recent discussion with Mark McKenna, Director of the CatCard Service Center at the University of Vermont, and Jeff Koziol, Business Development Manager for Mobile Credential at Allegion, key insights emerged about how mobile credentials are reshaping the administrative landscape at UVM.
One of the most immediate and impactful benefits of mobile credentials is the reduction of in-person visits to card offices. Traditionally, students and faculty needed to visit the card office for ID issuance, replacements, troubleshooting, or general customer services. At UVM, this created long lines, especially during peak periods like orientation. In 2019, this all began to change when the institution launched its mobile credentials program.
Today, that traffic has reduced to a trickle.
"Our office lights go out sometimes because there aren’t enough people coming in," McKenna joked, emphasizing how much card issuance has shifted to a digital-first model.
With fewer in-person visits and manual card issuance tasks, card office staff have been able to take on new responsibilities. The front desk team, for example, now handles more tech-related support.
Photo uploads for new students and faculty further streamline operations, reducing the time and resources spent at enrollment.
The reduction of in-person visitors has been particularly beneficial for the CatCard office as it has been understaffed since Covid. Mobile credential, says McKenna, has allowed the office to maintain service levels without overburdening the team.
While there are certainly cost increases with mobile credentials, there also cost savings. Traditional card programs require a significant investment in printers, consumables, and maintenance.
At the University of Vermont, the number of card printers has been reduced from six to four, with the potential for further downsizing. McKenna explains that a printer with a laminator can cost $10,000, and by reducing volume of cards printed they’ve been able to cut down on expenses for supplies and maintenance contracts as well.
When cards are only needed for select use cases like contractors, visitors, or special events, the need for the highest quality output is lessened. This can eliminate the expense of pre-printed card stock and allow the use of lower-cost printers.
With fewer in-person visits and manual card issuance tasks, card office staff have been able to take on new responsibilities.
"We’re reallocating our front desk team to handle more tech-related support," McKenna notes.
Since students sometimes require troubleshooting for device compatibility and NFC functionality, his team now assists with technical issues rather than focusing solely on card printing and general customer support.
The transition to mobile credentials is more than just cool new tech that makes students happy. It also represents a fundamental shift in how campus card offices operate, reducing foot traffic, shifting costs, and ushering in new administrative processes.
To watch the full interview, click on the image at the top of this page.
Hey, and welcome everybody to this episode of CampusIDNews Chats.
Today with me, I have Jeff Koziol, Allegion Business Development Manager for Mobile Credential, and Mark McKenna, University of Vermont Director of the CatCard Service Center. Mark is familiar to many of us from presentations at conferences and being around the industry for a long, long time.
We're going to talk about the impacts of mobile credential on the card office and the administrative side of the house. Rather than just what does it do for the students, what does it do for Mark's office and for other entities on the campus.
Jeff, you want to give a little more context about that before we get started?
Yeah, absolutely, Chris, and thanks for having us today.
So everyone knows about the topic of mobile credentials, but most of the conversation is around the student benefit, a better way to engage students, the way they want to be engaged.
I think what I would like to see during this time on our call today is kind of a focus on the back of house benefits that card offices see, because this really changes the workflow and does so in a better and efficient manner.
And I know Mark's got a lot of great examples that he's chopping at the bit to talk about.
All right, take it away, Mark. The kids get a lot out of it and convenience, but what do you get out of it?
Yeah, one of the things, you know, it's a great topic to bring up because everybody thinks of the students, but you got to think of the card office on the back end.
We started the program pre-COVID. So COVID really changed the landscape anyways on how card offices were functioning.
But the fact that we had already gone to the mobile credential pre-COVID, the biggest thing was we were able to continue functioning not in person by issuing the digital prudential.
So other things that have changed in our office was the staffing up front. It has directly impacted our staffing and the way we interact with our customers that do come in.
Photo uploads, getting ready for orientation has been a huge benefit to us.
We've been unfortunately running short staffed for a while and without a mobile prudential, we would not have been able to function short staffed as we have done.
You mentioned serving the students that do come in. I know any campus that has gone mobile knows this, but not many students probably come in anymore, do they?
No, not anymore.
We're very energy efficient in Vermont and our lights go out in the office because not enough people come in the office anymore.
So people wonder if we're open, they'll knock on the door and it's like, no, come on in.
The lights will come back on.
Okay, so issuance, yeah, but there's other things that card offices do, sharing data with other systems, visitor management, summer camps, all kinds of things like that where we used to issue a card. You still issue a card for some of those things or how do you manage some of those other areas now?
Yeah, that's a good point. Faculty, staff, students get the digital credential. Our contractors and our vendors and our summer camp programs, most of them still get a plastic card.
So for the faculty, staff, we do the photo uploads, which takes a lot of the lines out of the hallway that use the form for orientation or, you know, faculty, staff orientation.
So that has definitely streamlined that whole process.
With those with those that still do get a card, are they using your photo upload system still? Are they coming back in? Like equipment in the office, do you still have a bank of six printers and all kinds of things? Has that changed?
Good point. Yeah, we did. We used to have six printers. We're down to four.
I was just telling our work study student this morning was if one breaks, we still have a couple to go. So we still we still will print some plastic cards.
Inevitably you'll find a phone that the NFC or something has ceased to work. So our front desk has become, let's say, a semi tech position.
They have to be able to diagnose what kind of phone you have, what the potential problems could be.
But, you know, hey, I dropped it in the in the toilet and that's probably why it doesn't work anymore.
And since you brought it up, how often would that happen? Not dropping it in the toilet. How often would that happen that someone comes in for tech support on on things like that?
Very seldom.
Usually we see it around Christmas time, Thanksgiving time when they go home and they come back with a brand new phone. And that's when they were like, hey, I can't get it to work on my new phone.
I said, well, did you take it off your old phone?
No.
We can help. We can assist them.
We've got knowledge based articles that nobody reads, but at least they're a reference for our own staff so we can tell them how to get from their phone and re add impact.
You mentioned there were impacts to staffing when you were short staffed. Is that is that something that will you ultimately staff back up to pre mobile credential days or do you need as many staff in the in the current model?
We will most likely ramp back up to where we work. But the responsibilities will have changed.
Our front desk will be reallocated to do different types of tech work, let's say.
Our office is small. There's only six of us total if we were all here. Currently, there's four of us.
But we will ramp back up and we've grown exponentially, CCTV wise, access control wise, but our staff has not.
So we need to at least get back to our pre COVID staffing levels. And I think that will hold us for years to come.
Okay, so that's not necessarily because of mobile credential. That's because of adding in more in the PACS kind of infrastructure and needing someone to help manage more of that kind of thing.
Yeah, we picked up more responsibilities from the lock shop because they were they were shorthanded also. And so we picked up some of their responsibilities for access control, which we did not get extra bodies to do.
We were able to automate and try to do a few things with the system to accommodate but we've grown to the point where we need some extra fingers, extra hours on the clock.
All right, since you brought up the lock shop, Jeff, one for you as there, you know, in terms of costs and things was there was there something with the reader migration there when they went to mobile that was not just rip and replace was it was it take everything and replace it with brand new stuff or how did that how did that process go?
Most of what the University of Vermont had they were able to keep we we were able to do firmware updates and load the Apple Wallet and Google Wallet keys into those locks into those readers.
So they maintained a good portion, maybe everything that they they had.
I think what it also did is it ferreted it out some areas of campus where perhaps they didn't have the full Desfire experience or mobile wallet experience.
So we we kind of use that that push to mobile to make sure at all access point.
Mark, I know you've probably got other use cases too that you ferreted it out that would only support mag but now support mobile that involves non Allegiant devices as well.
Yes, definitely. We've managed to find departments utilizing and I think other schools I've talked to same thing that we didn't realize that the Yachting Club used it to rent a kayaks.
We definitely found unique cases.
Okay, well, that was that was the same with the migration from MAG Strobe to Prox you learned all that stuff then Prox to contact us we learned all that stuff. So it's just another growing pain, I guess.
Now I think from talking to you before Mark, you told me that your facility did not change that you're still in the same footprint of where you are. But I know that's been another kind of admin benefit or University benefit of mobile credential in some of these cases. So maybe Jeff, maybe you've seen that at other campuses you've worked with. Is there anything you can add to that?
Yeah, Mark kind of alluded to it that your foot traffic in and out of the card office is going to go down significantly.
So you may not need to be in a prime spot on campus for students to go, whether it be when they first come to campus as freshmen during orientation, or, you know, when they're transferring in from other schools, you don't need to be in that prime spot anymore.
So they've been able to move to another part of campus to kind of let that prime spot be used to something else that's a little bit more student facing and relevant.
But that's one of the other benefits as well. It's really created win that this is not just for the students.
This has been a tremendous benefit for the card office staff and leadership as well.
One quick thing that I just want to throw on there is that they had already moved us out of the Student Center before COVID, which created quite the stir on campus because we were student facing, obviously, office at the time, they already moved us and rebuilt a brand new office across campus for us.
That's why we're still where we are, because we got a great location now, brand new offices. I love it.
Good, and don't let them make you move, right? Okay, so anybody have anything else to add? Because I think that was great, otherwise, I learned what I needed to learn today, I think. So, Mark?
The front desk, the traffic, just reallocating some of the staff time has been huge, dealing with incoming, we used to have 90% photo compliance, well in advance when we had on campus orientations.
Our first year going into the mobiles, of course, was COVID related also.
We wound up like two weeks away from the start of semester and I was still almost 2000 photos short and I was panicking, but they were taking their selfies in the res halls and submitting them and so now we expect to not have everybody going into the semester and everything's been fine.
Great, and Chris, the only other thing I would add in is if you were a campus that perhaps had four or six card printers to kind of service the production card production of your students, faculty and staff, you'll never get out of needing to produce cards to some level.
But maybe you, going forward, you can live with two of those printers, which means you've eliminated the future purchase of four printers, those consumables and the maintenance service contracts of those.
So you're not getting away from it, but you're going to certainly see it reduce somewhat.
So there is a lot of cost savings on that front as well. I mean, a printer with a laminator is 10 grand.
And you know, if I went from three CR805s to one, and you know, a couple of DS3s, they're a lot cheaper, and I don't have to worry about card stock printers like you had mentioned earlier, Chris, that, you know, keep track of the supplies as a pain in the butt.
Well, and also, I think I would imagine if you're not having to issue, sorry, if you're not having to issue cards to the student population, you can go backwards on the quality of that visual quality of that card and buy a cheaper printer and get away with it because, or, you know, not pre-print maybe and print the whole card in-house.
So there would be opportunities to even save more on that once you're, you know, once all of your printers die and you've got to go out and buy a new one or something too. And frustrations too with staff trying to fix a jammed printer or card that didn't print right.
Staff turnover where you've got to retrain everybody on how to do, you know, how the printer works.
Well, guys, thank you very much.
I appreciate the time and thank you all out there for listening in and hopefully you learned something about the admin benefit side of mobile credentials on campuses.
As higher ed and other markets confront an increasingly sophisticated threat environment, security leaders are prioritizing integrated platforms and advanced credentials. These are among the key findings of the annual 2025 State of Security and Identity Report just released by HID. It reveals a transformative shift in security strategies, emphasizing the growing role of mobile credentials, biometrics, and artificial intelligence (AI).
The report, based on insights from 1,800 industry professionals worldwide, highlights a strong movement towards unified security solutions.
"The security industry is at a pivotal moment where the integration of modern technology with existing infrastructure is no longer optional—it's imperative," says Ramesh Songukrishnasamy, Senior Vice President of Engineering at HID. "The fact that 73% of security leaders now prioritize software-driven unified solutions shows we've moved beyond traditional siloed approaches. Organizations are demanding platforms that can scale with their needs while providing actionable intelligence."
Currently nearly two-thirds of organizations report deploying or planning to implement mobile IDs, while 35% already utilize some form of biometrics.
Expansion of mobile credentials and biometrics
The rise of mobile credentials marks a significant transition from traditional access methods, with nearly two-thirds of organizations deploying or planning to implement mobile IDs. Meanwhile, biometric technologies – such as fingerprint, iris, and facial recognition – are increasingly in demand especially for MFA. Currently 35% of organizations utilize them and 13% are planning adoption.
AI enhancing security operations
AI-driven security solutions are becoming more prevalent, streamlining identity management, video surveillance, and access control. Organizations cite key benefits such as improved operational efficiency (50%) and enhanced real-time data analysis (47%), reinforcing AI’s role in modern security frameworks.
Unified security management gains traction
Security leaders are shifting towards software-driven solutions that integrate multiple data collection methods, streamlining operations and enhancing security effectiveness. The study found that 73% of organizations see unifying security functions as "somewhat" or "very important," reflecting the need for efficiency and scalability.
Growing demand for open, interoperable platforms
As interoperability becomes essential in security solutions, more than half of security professionals rank open platforms as "extremely" or "very important."
Convergence of physical and digital security solutions
The industry is witnessing a shift towards integrated security platforms that bridge physical and digital security measures. Nearly two-thirds of organizations report adopting solutions that unify video surveillance, access control, and intrusion detection.
Security industry responds to digital transformation
Digital transformation is reshaping the security sector, with growing end-user demand for AI, cloud solutions, IoT integration, and advanced analytics. Three-quarters of the participating channel partners feel they are successfully adapting, but ongoing innovation is necessary.
Sustainability considerations in security investments
Sustainability remains a critical consideration in security decisions, with 75% of leaders factoring it into their solution selection process. However, cost-effectiveness and security remain the top priorities for 80% of integrators and consultants, indicating a need for balanced investment strategies.
The findings of the 2025 State of Security and Identity Report underscore an industry shifting toward smarter, integrated security solutions.
To learn more, check out the full report here.
Florida International University (FIU) released a major upgrade to its mobile app, enhancing student access to critical academic info, campus resources, and mobile access control.
More a re-envisioning than just a refresh, the university’s IT team has been working on it for nearly two years. The goal? To streamline key tasks like checking class schedules, registering for courses, and engaging on campus.
The initiative was spearheaded by Vice President for IT and Chief Information Officer Robert Grillo. In an interview with FIUNews, he explains, “at the end of the day, it's all about student success [and] the app gives you all the necessary tools to be successful.”
It supports Apple Wallet integration for storing the digital Panther ID that enables access to the library and gym.
A crucial contributor to the app’s evolution was Sebastian Negret, a recent FIU marketing grad with a dual interest in technology and student engagement. His journey began with a tech club project where he reimagined the existing FIU app.
The work received the attention of FIU IT. Recognizing the potential, Grillo tasked Negret with gathering student feedback to shape the app’s improvements. He surveyed 250 students to determine what features mattered most, ensuring the latest iteration aligns with real student needs.
Negret’s work led to an internship and now a fulltime position with the university.
New features and improved usabilityThe revamped app adds a modern, handheld user interface to the MyFIU portal. Among the most requested enhancements were easy access to class schedules, tuition payments, GPA tracking, real-time parking availability, and seamless course registration. Additionally, the app now provides a live listing of open dining options, Grubhub integration, campus maps, key university phone numbers, and real-time tracking of the Panther Mover shuttle service.
It also supports Apple Wallet integration for storing the digital Panther ID that enables access to the library and gym.
In App Store, the “What’s New” description reads as follows:
“A brand new experience. FIU Mobile has been completely redesigned to bring you relevant information to the palm of your hand. Stay connected and engaged in events. Get quick access to your class schedule. Take advantage of FIU Mobile’s digital ID and get quick access to the FIU Library and Gym. Plus, find jobs and internships, transit options, open places to show and eat, and much more. Download FIU Mobile today!”
The upgraded app represents a significant step forward in digital engagement for students. Negret, who researched other university offerings, believes FIU is setting a new standard for campus apps.
“[We are] one of the few universities that is bringing a digital service like this to students,” he explains. “It’s very important and putting FIU in the forefront in terms of technology.”
Students began downloading the new version of the app on Feb. 11, 2025.
Check out great student demo of the app here.
While Amazon Just Walk Out technology seems to be succeeding in campus c-stores and stadiums, the retail giant has failed to make a go of it in its company-owned stores.
Just Walk Out is a cashierless shopping solution that allows customers to enter a store, pick up items, and leave without stopping at a checkout counter. Using a combination of computer vision, sensors, and deep learning, the system automatically detects when products are taken from or returned to shelves, keeping track of a virtual cart in real time.
To use Just Walk Out, customers scan a payment method – such as a credit card, student ID card, or mobile app –upon entering the store. As they shop, overhead cameras and weight-sensitive shelves track their selections. Once they exit, the system finalizes the transaction, charging the registered payment method and sending a digital receipt.
The technology first rolled out in Amazon retail locations including its Amazon Go stores and Amazon Fresh stores. It was then sold to non-Amazon retailers such as stadiums, airports, convenience stores, and campus retail locations.
For higher education, the fact that the Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores have struggled should not be the focus. A retail location is not the same as the technology that powers it, and a failure of one does not constitute a failure of the other.
In Spring 2024, Amazon pulled the technology from its Amazon Fresh stores.
At the time, there were 44 locations of which 27 used Just Walk Out, according to Convenience.org. They replaced the AI-enabled system with smart shopping carts that let shoppers to scan items as they move through the store.
Amazon continued to use Just Walk Out in its smaller Amazon Go shops, however, the Go store concept has not grown as expected.
According to a Food Institute article, when Amazon Go launched in 2018, the company planned to open up to 3,000 stores. In 2023 it reached a high of 30 locations, but today only half remain.
In October 2024, they closed three New York City locations, and this week came word that a California location would close in the coming days.
The accusations are flying in media. Some say this shows Amazon’s inability to translate online retailing expertise to brick and mortar. Others suggest that consumers are not ready for cashierless, AI-driven shopping. Still others blame the technology itself.
But while Just Walk Out has struggled in Amazon-owned stores, its use has been rising in other markets notably stadiums and higher ed.
In preparation for the 2024/2025 season, the NFL’s Seattle Seahawk and Washington Commanders added new locations. Today, more than 80 stadiums and arenas now have self-service concessions using Just Walk Out.
In September 2024, Amazon announced plans to bring Just Walk Out check-out to 10 new college campuses. This brought the total number of campus stores using the technology to more than 30.
The list includes:
For higher education, the fact that the Amazon Fresh and Amazon Go stores have struggled should not be the focus. A retail location is not the same as the technology that powers it, and a failure of one does not constitute a failure of the other.
A technology can be a complete success in one environment and a total bust in another. Campuses need to evaluate their autonomous c-stores based on performance, ROI, and customer satisfaction. If it works on campus, great. If not, look for other solutions.
