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Housing Food Account

The Wiscard debit card program on the UW-Madison campus encompasses several debit card accounts which are accessed through the UW student ID card.

The Housing Food Account is available exclusively to students who live in the University Residence Halls. The Housing Food Account can be used for meals in the dining rooms and for food carryout or deliveries to the residence hall where you live. Students are not restricted in their food options; you decide how much to spend on food, where you want to eat, and when!

By using the Housing Food Account, residents pay a lower price than cash customers or Campus Cash customers because some of the overhead costs of our Food Service operation have been included in each resident's quarterly bill.

If you live in the University Residence Halls, an account will automatically be opened for you; you will need to make deposits to cover anticipated food purchases.

You can also use your Housing Food Account to pay for laundry services in all the residence halls. Washing machines in our residence halls have card readers which allow you to use your UW-Madison ID card to access funds from your Housing Food Account.

How does the Housing Food Account work?

Food Service cashiers in the University Housing Food Service facilities will ring up purchases and automatically deduct the amount from the balance in the Housing Food Account when a student's ID is presented. The receipt shows the Housing Food Account balance. Each hall desk can verify the balance in a Housing Food Account and the information is available online:

Manage Your Wiscard Account

Each resident chooses how much money to deposit into her or his Housing Food Account for food purchases. We recommend that you deposit $300 in your Housing Food Account to begin the first quarter.

Campus Cash Account

What can you purchase with the Campus Cash Account? There are many opportunities to use your Wiscard Campus Cash account. You can use it to purchase everything you'll need for school, including textbooks, course packets, and computer supplies. You can buy ice cream at the Memorial Union, purchase tickets to events at the Wisconsin Union Theater, or go bowling at the Union South Games Room. You may use this account at any Wiscard location outside of the University Residence Halls. To find out what else you can purchase using your Campus Cash Account call (608) 263-1964 or (608) 262-1667 for more information or visit the website at:

www.wiscard.wisc.edu

Making deposits to Wiscard accounts

Lost Wiscards

You should handle losing your Wiscard with the same urgency you would after losing a credit card or bank card. We urge you to immediatley contact Wiscard to report the loss of your card and deactivate the card.

Your hall desk will issue a loaner key/e-key to provide you temporary access to your hall and floor and a temporary card will be issued so that you can eat in the dining halls using either your Food Account or Campus Cash.

• You must replace your Wiscard within four days.
• Once you suspend your Wiscard your Housing Food and Campus Cash Accounts will be temporarily disabledand your card’s access to your residence hall is stopped.
• It is your responsibility to notify other campus departments/buildings where you use your Wiscard (including Rec Sports and the Library system) as well as the UW Credit Union (if you have an account there), about the loss of your card.
• You are responsible for any purchases made with your Housing Food Account and/or Campus Cash Account until your card has been deactivated.

FEES

• If you do not return your loaner/key E-key within four days, you will receive a $50 charge for a core change for your room and your temporary card for dining will stop working.
• A temporary food account card can be obtained from your hall desk.
• A new Wiscard can be purchased at the Wiscard Office.
• You must then return to your hall desk to have a new card reprogrammed, to restore building access.

Refunds on the Housing Food Account

The only time we issue refunds from Housing Food Accounts is at the end of the Housing contract. Students will automatically receive a refund check if their Housing Food Account balance is $20 or more. Balances less than $20 are transferred to your Campus Cash account.

Refund checks for balances of $20 or more will be sent to your mailing address (listed on the campus My UW portal) 4-6 weeks after the residence halls close.

Refunds on the Campus Cash Account

Your Campus Cash Account remains open until you choose to close it. Any existing balance will automatically be carried forward for your future use on campus. All students who plan to continue at UW-Madison are encouraged to keep their Campus Cash Account open. However, if you decide to close your account, you may contact the Wisconsin Union Cashier’s Office at Memorial Union (608) 263-1964 to obtain the appropriate form OR send a written request (with your name and Campus ID number) to: Wisconsin Union Cashier's Office, Memorial Union, 800 Langdon Street, Madison, WI 53706-1495.

Campus Cash Accounts are subject to a $10 administrative fee at the time they are closed. To receive a refund, at least $2 must remain in the account after the fee has been deducted. If you have any questions about a Campus Cash Account, please contact the Wisconsin Union Cashier's Office at either of the phone numbers listed above.