One of the easiest little-known ways to put money on your Skyhawk card just happens to be one of the safest.

Marsha Brown, administrative specialist for Skyhawk Card Services, says that cardholders have always had the option of depositing money onto their card by calling into the office with a credit or debit card number, but that it just hasn’t been heavily utilized because of a scant word-of-mouth popularity.

“Most of the time, there have just been parents that call in with their card number to put money on their child’s card,” said Brown.

Brown wants to ensure cardholders that this easy and convenient option is especially helpful and extremely safe for those students who simply may not be able to come by the Skyhawk Card Office.

Instead of going to the card office, a person can call the office and talk to a staff member who fills out a receipt form which also states their credit or debit card number.

If the staff member needs the caller to clarify any information, he or she will ask the caller to repeat it, which will prevent the chance of any other person present in the office of also knowing that information. The staff member then enters the number into a credit card machine.

After money is put on the Skyhawk card, a receipt is available to be picked up at the card office, but Brown says that it will not be mailed to the cardholder to ensure that the mail will not be tampered with. All office and customer copies of receipts are then kept on file in the office.

Another way cardholders can put money onto their card without going to the card office is by sending a personal check by mail to the office with their university-issued ID number written on the check.

A customer receipt is then retained in the card office.

Cardholders can also put money on their card with the help of Valuports located in Humanities computer lab and the library by swiping the cards at the port and inserting a cash amount into the machine.

Beginning August 2007, Brown said that Skyhawk Card Services will allow students to deposit money onto their Skyhawk card through the Internet by using a credit or debit card number.

For more information, contact Skyhawk Card Services at 881-7825 or 881-7974. They are open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.