Returning students will notice many not-so-subtle changes on campus. One that is especially important not to overlook is the new SMU ID.

As of yesterday, the old ID cards don’t work.

For those of you confused about whether you have a new ID, it’s very simple. The new ID is much more colorful, with a picture of Dallas Hall on the front. Increased aesthetic appeal wasn’t the reason for new IDs, however.

Instead, some minor breaches in security last spring prompted a search for a more secure encoding system.

This is the fourth incarnation of the SMU ID. From 1981 to 1996 SMU used a simple photo ID. In 1996 the university began using an ID with magnetic encoding. In 2000, students began using the now-familiar cards that have gone the way of the dinosaur as well. So what does this mean for students?

Well, as said before, your old ID will no longer work. So if you haven’t gotten a new one by now, scurry on over to the Park n’ Pony office, located on the main level of Hughes-Trigg just north of The Commons, and get one.

Better not want a new picture though. Yes, you have to keep the picture that went with your old ID . . . unless you pay $25, that is. So, for those of you that don’t want people to see how youthful and ridiculous you looked your first year, make sure you’ve got your cash ready.

Usually, one of Ed Board’s primary concerns is having to pay large sums of money for . . . well, everything, it seems like. In this case, however, it seems sensible. Those secure and attractively designed IDs can’t be cheap to make.

Also, they’ve already made new ones for every student on campus, and while it would have been nice if an email had been sent out asking students whether they wanted a new picture, summer made that exceedingly impractical.

So, utilize your new ID to the fullest. In addition to its previous functions, it can also be used for copiers and printers, which is a significant improvement in our opinion.