NIU students have seen many changes over the past few months, from the new OneCard design to MyNIU, the new multi-use Web system.

Through MyNIU, students can do a number of things, from enrolling in classes to managing bills.

“You can check your Bursar’s bill, accept financial aid, increase or decrease loan amounts, view your class schedule; nearly anything that pertains to NIU students can be [accessed] throughout the MyNIU system,” said Brent Gage, assistant vice provost for Enrollment Services. “[With MyNIU] everything is contained in one system. Before it was multiple systems.”

Some students faced difficulty with the new system.

“I was given a permit for a class next fall. I went to apply for the class and it said the permit number was invalid,” said senior communication major Robert Hays.

Hays had to see the undergraduate director for communication to fix the problem.

Another change at NIU is the new NIU OneCard. The new OneCard may be obtained from the OneCard office, located inside TCF Bank, in the Holmes Student Center.

To obtain the new OneCard, continuing students need their fall 2008 schedule, their old OneCard and either a driver’s license, state ID, military ID or passport, according to the OneCard Web site. Without their old OneCard, those students will have to pay a $20 replacement fee, according to the site.

The card was changed because the magnetic strip on the back of the OneCard needed to be replaced, according to a January 24 article from the Northern Star.

The new directory, found on NIU’s home page, has also been changed. This directory allows people who are part of the NIU community to find information about other students and faculty members.

The old directory did the same, but this directory is more interactive and user friendly, said Cindy Phillips, director of IT customer support.

“[The old system] wasn’t meeting the needs of the services we provide,” Phillips said. “You can update your own information. The previous directory wasn’t user friendly. The new directory allows for a better self-service venue.”

The old directory would provide all personal information, such as home address and cell phone number. The new directory provides a boost in security.

“In the old directory, if you wanted any information private, you had to suppress all of it. In the new directory, you have the ability to suppress any pieces of data,” said Phillips.

Previously, when students wanted to change information in the old directory, they would have to disclose their Social Security number. Now, only a Z-ID and password are needed.

Meal plans for students who live in the residence halls have also changed. The old meal plan options given to students were the Gold, Platinum and Titanium plans, which originally gave $55, $80, and $100, respectively, every week to the students. They have all been upgraded to give $60, $90, and $110.

Dining Director Ralph Chaplin said this is the first upward increase in those meal plans.

“We’re paying more for items coming to us,” said Chaplin. “There will be some items increased in price [for students].”

Chaplin said how students spend their dining dollars will effect how much they end up with toward the end of every week.