New City College students were unable to have their ID cards printed this morning in the Office of Student Life due to machine malfunctions.

The student ID card machines used to be in the Student Services building, but were moved into the Office of Student Life in Campus Center Room 217 this semester.

According to Candee Gyll, student support services administrative assistant, relocating the machines was a good move because the new location is more spacious and allows students to see what that area of the Campus Center has to offer. The relocation had nothing to do with the malfunctions, Gyll said that the machines were “just getting old.”

There are a handful of campus resources that are inaccessible without a student ID card.

“Thousands of students need this card now… you need your student ID to make copies or print things,” Luria Library Technician Paul Fleischer said.

Fleischer had no solution on what an ID-less student should do if they needed to check out a book in the library, but said he’s sure that the problem would be fixed very soon.

Student ID cards are also required to ride the bus to and from campus.  Many students who live in Isla Vista have no other form of transportation besides taking the bus. The Santa Barbara Metropolitan District is aware of the situation and ready to accommodate to students’ needs.  

“For today and tomorrow, we are allowing free bus rides to students who explain that they don’t have their ID card,” said Hillary Blackerby, Santa Barbara Metropolitan District Marketing and Community Relations Manager.

Christopher Johnson, associate dean of student affairs, stated in a campus-wide email that two replacement machines are expected to arrive on Thursday, Aug. 24. Johnson said that by 2 p.m., students should be able to receive their student ID cards. The Office of Student Life will extend its hours on Tuesday, Aug. 29 and Wednesday, Aug. 30 and be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. to accommodate to the students affected by the malfunction.

If a student already has their student ID, bus pass and activity stickers can still be distributed.

“Students, the bus drivers and other campus departments, like the bookstore and admissions, have been amazing during this anxiety-ridden experience,” Gyll said. “It was scary, but good came out of it because the replacement machines will be brand new.”