2008 Woodie Awards
UCU to begin charing ATM service fee
Kassandre Moulton
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: News
The University Credit Union ATM in the basement of the Memorial Union has started incurring a $2 surcharge on all non-member transactions.
Members of the University Credit Union or the SurF netword can still use the ATM for free.
The fees took effect on Nov. 1, on 10 of University Credit Union's 12 ATMs statewide.
"The UCU made that decision on their own," Director of the Memorial Union, Gustavo Burkett said. "We started looking into it." Burkett said that he was not aware of the issue until students started complaining on the UMaine Forum.
Joseph Gervais, executive vice president of UCU, attributes the surcharge implementation to the increasing costs of operating the Credit Union's 12 ATMs throughout the state.
"UCU exists to serve the financial needs of the students, employees and alumni of the University of Maine system. We strive to provide low cost financial options for our members," he said.
Gervais said without the surcharge, non-members were receiving benefits, which was unfair to credit union members.
"By continuing to provide 'member services' to non-members, we are depleting our resources that would assist us in better serving our members." Some of the costs associated with maintaining the ATM include the cost of the ATM Hardware, maintenance, cash replenishment and more. He said it was difficult to quantify the costs.
Many students at UMaine are unhappy with this implementation.
"This is just another way of the University attempting to monopolize things. They want you to switch to their banking institution, just like they want you to buy books from their bookstore or purchase meals at places on campus," Joseph Dwyer, a second-year construction management technology major said.
"Imposing a fee on the once-free ATM, is just the university's way of pushing the students to open up an account with the University Credit Union," Stanley MacArthur, a first-year business student said.
"This decision was in no means made to penalize the students that utilize this ATM," Gervais said.
Other students would like to see more options. "I think there should be some sort of free ATM on campus, but whether or not the UCU supplies it doesn't make much difference to me," Corey Smith, a fourth-year mechanical engineering major said.
According to the Associate Director of Dining Services, Katherine Kittridge, the Union has chosen new cash registers which have credit card capabilities. "There is a plan to have it in the Union and all other concessions [on campus]," Kittridge said. "It is in the works."
Heather Steeves contributed to this report.
Members of the University Credit Union or the SurF netword can still use the ATM for free.
The fees took effect on Nov. 1, on 10 of University Credit Union's 12 ATMs statewide.
"The UCU made that decision on their own," Director of the Memorial Union, Gustavo Burkett said. "We started looking into it." Burkett said that he was not aware of the issue until students started complaining on the UMaine Forum.
Joseph Gervais, executive vice president of UCU, attributes the surcharge implementation to the increasing costs of operating the Credit Union's 12 ATMs throughout the state.
"UCU exists to serve the financial needs of the students, employees and alumni of the University of Maine system. We strive to provide low cost financial options for our members," he said.
Gervais said without the surcharge, non-members were receiving benefits, which was unfair to credit union members.
"By continuing to provide 'member services' to non-members, we are depleting our resources that would assist us in better serving our members." Some of the costs associated with maintaining the ATM include the cost of the ATM Hardware, maintenance, cash replenishment and more. He said it was difficult to quantify the costs.
Many students at UMaine are unhappy with this implementation.
"This is just another way of the University attempting to monopolize things. They want you to switch to their banking institution, just like they want you to buy books from their bookstore or purchase meals at places on campus," Joseph Dwyer, a second-year construction management technology major said.
"Imposing a fee on the once-free ATM, is just the university's way of pushing the students to open up an account with the University Credit Union," Stanley MacArthur, a first-year business student said.
"This decision was in no means made to penalize the students that utilize this ATM," Gervais said.
Other students would like to see more options. "I think there should be some sort of free ATM on campus, but whether or not the UCU supplies it doesn't make much difference to me," Corey Smith, a fourth-year mechanical engineering major said.
According to the Associate Director of Dining Services, Katherine Kittridge, the Union has chosen new cash registers which have credit card capabilities. "There is a plan to have it in the Union and all other concessions [on campus]," Kittridge said. "It is in the works."
Heather Steeves contributed to this report.
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