By Kabrea Tyler, The Whetstone 

Coming back to school from spring break, I knew – like most students – my assignment load would double because of back-to-back papers and tests.

I was prepared with a bulging wallet full of change to help me make copies.

Monday morning, as I walked toward my 10 a.m. class, I saw a new sign on a glass door.

I ignored it.

As the day went on, I saw the same colored blue and white paper and words on multiple doors throughout the school. I decided to read the signs.

These signs held words I couldn’t wait to see since the beginning of the school year: “Use your ID to print.”

Starting March 10, students were able to use their IDs to print, scan and copy papers.

This was exciting and that many students thought would be a relief.

Some students, as well as myself, thought we could use the points on our IDs that we use for other things. But we learned that’s not how it works.

If you did not have money on your ID, you could print with the help of the librarians. All you had to do was save the file you needed to print on to a jump drive (if you didn’t have one, they lent you one), bring the drive to the desk, pay 5 cent per page, and they would print it for you.

This was convenient for those who did not have money on their IDs but change in their pockets.

I had gone into the library to complete an assignment. When I was finished, I walked to the back like I usually do when I noticed the computer to print was no longer there.

I was confused. I asked the librarian how I could print. She gave me a thumb drive where I would save my file and told me how much it cost and she printed it for me. I thought this was how the new system worked – if you had change.

That wasn’t the case.

In fact, only a week later, the library was not accepting any change to print.

This was a problem for many students.

Students were told they needed at least $20 on their IDs to print.

Whatever was left would roll over into next semester’s account.

This angered some students, including myself.

Who has $20 to print 5-cent pages at the end of the school year?

Some students complained to student affairs and the business office.

After the complaints were heard, the business office agreed to add as little as $5 into a student’s account for printing.

Although the cost decreased, there should still be the option of either putting money in your account or, if you are the type of person who had a lot of change and would like to use it, you should be able to do so.

I know some students talked about being able to use their IDs to print, but the idea we had in mind was a little different. We thought we could use the points we have for the den and shop toward printing.

There should be a choice.