Vol. 92, Issue 3
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Credit cards: Worth it?
By Kinea White
Echo staff writer
No annual fee, discounts on brand name merchandise, and a credit line up to $2,500.
Each year credit card representatives visit campuses across the country targeting students. These representatives receive a list of schools to target, and N.C. Central University is on that list.
It was common to see representatives in the Alfonso Elder Student Union soliciting their business; however, as of June 30, a policy went into effect prohibiting credit card representatives from recruiting perspective consumers in the student union.
 |
| NCCU senior Danisa Baker
fills out a credit card application on the breezeway between the Fine Arts
and Music Buildings on campus.
William Waters/ Echo Staff Photographer |
Director of the Student Union Thurman Prescott, Jr., and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Angela Terry assessed the situation and agreed that the student union would not take part in contributing to student debt. Many students feel it is already too late.
“I am behind on my Visa payments. If the representative had not been on campus, I probably would not have signed up for a credit card. I think that was very tempting,” says junior Ibtihaj Rafi.
“I signed up for my credit cards on campus, and I think it’s a bad idea for the representatives to be on campus,” says senior Kenyatta Woodall.
Representatives are prohibited from the student union. But that does not stop them from walking around campus targeting students.
“By walking around campus, representatives are allowed to speak directly with the students and explain the credit process to them,” says Steve Ball, an independent contractor for Superior Promotions. “The credit card process is more than just handing out free gifts.”
“Having a credit card will not only build the students’ credit, but it will help them when they go out and want to purchase a car or home after they graduate,” says Ball.
“The average student is not granted more than a $1,000 credit limit, and the intent of creditors is to build the student’s credit.
Sophomore Jamar Pharr disagrees: “Credit card representatives don’t actually tell you what you are getting into. Basically, they only tell you a few things, and then they want you to sign up.”
Many students believe that NCCU is not responsible for student debt.
“Credit cards are the individual’s responsibility, so students should be responsible for their own debt,” says Woodall.
According to vice chancellor Terry, NCCU does have a responsibility to implement workshops in residential halls and in the Freshman First program to help students become smarter consumers.
Why do creditors target students, and how do they get in touch with the campus?
Prior to June 30, credit card companies contacted the Student Union and requested to visit the campus.
They had to complete a vendor permit or a facility use permit and pay a fee of $100 per day. Companies could request to visit the school for one day or more depending upon the available space in the student union.
“The money collected would go into the student union operating budget. The money would be used for salaries, materials, program equipment, basically, anything that the student union needed,” said Prescott.
There is a discrepancy between the credit card recruiter and financial affairs. According to Hinton, credit card recruiters must obtain permits through Financial Affairs prior to visiting the campus, since permits are no longer issued through the Student Union
But “I am not aware of any permits being issued allowing credit card recruiters to walk around campus,” said Hinton.
According to Ball, he was unaware that they had to have a permit or permission to walk around campus, as long as they were not setting up tables in a particular area.
The discrepancy in the policy between Financial Affairs and Superior
Promotions has prompted Hinton to investigate the situation to determine
if permits have been issued.