By MARY LYNNE O'NEAL

Staff Writer

Students have the chance to win money for taking their pictures for their new Tech IDs by May 19.

Thanks to the new Tech ID cards, scholarships in the amounts of $300, $150 and $50 will be awarded to three students drawn out of a lottery May 20.

Current Tech identification cards cannot be used after May 20, and, effective May 31, the new card will be required for all dining locations on campus, the Bookstore, vending machines, laundry, copiers, the Prescott Memorial Library, the Maxie Lambright Intramural Sports Center, M.S. Carroll Natatorium, any athletic events and other university-sponsored events.

"The IDs are changed about every five years, so it was already time to change them up," Lisa Cole, the university comptroller, said. "[Students'] social security number will no longer be visible and will be replaced with a campus-wide identification number."

Cole said the faculty and staff on campus will receive the same IDs, but their cards will indicate that they are faculty and staff.

"We wanted to do scholarships along with the new IDs as part of the promotion because it motivates the students to go ahead and get their new IDs made," Cole said.

This is the first year the scholarships will be given out, Cole said.

Bob Vento, the university registrar, said the new IDs are a combined effort among the comptroller, the registrar and several other areas on campus.

"We had to purchase all-new card-swipe systems so they will accept the new [campus-wide ID] number," Vento said. "We're still going to have to have students' social security numbers, but now it will be severely restricted as to who has access to it."

Vento said Tech wants to provide the maximum amount of protection for everyone.

"This not only affects the students, but it will also affect the faculty, staff and administration," Vento said.

"It's just overall a great thing for our university."

Neta Norman, the manager of Tech Express, said the number of students coming to take their pictures before the deadline has been steady, but is expected to grow as the deadline approaches.

The new ID cards will have a picture of Keeny Hall in the background, as well as the picture of the student or faculty member, the name of the university, the first and last name of the student and his or her new eight-digit campus-wide ID number that is non-sequential and machine-generated.

Cole said Keeny Hall was chosen for the backdrop of the card over two other pictures -- one of Wyly Tower of Learning and one of the tulips in the Quadrangle.

Many students who have seen the new design appreciate the new addition of the new ID number and the new look of the card.

"I think the new cards are a lot better because people can't steal your social [security number], and the picture is a lot prettier," Mary Beth Walker, a freshman basic and career studies major, said. "The picture is a good representation of our campus."