Columbia University ID Center

Card-Swipe Problem with Flex, Dining Dollars or Meal Plans

If the first message reads:

• SWIPE AGAIN

This message means that the magnetic strip on your card is not being read properly. Before you do anything else, make sure that this message is displayed with subsequent swipe attempts. This can be due to the magnetic stripe on your card being either dirty or damaged. You may try to clean off the magnetic strip with a little rubbing alcohol and a soft cloth. If that doesn't solve the problem, you will need to come to the ID Center to have your Columbia Card replaced. There is a $15 fee to replace both damaged and lost Columbia Cards.

• TRANSACTION INVALID

This message means that the information encoded on the magnetic stripe is correct, and that a decision has been made, which denied your use of Dining Dollars or a meal plan. This is when the second message is important to determine the source of the swipe problem.

If the second message reads:

• PRIVILEGE UNASSIGNED

This means that your Dining Dollars, Flex account or meal plan is not being accessed. If you have enrolled in either Dining Dollars or a meal plan, and your card is not working, please visit Columbia Dining Customer Service at 125 Wallach Hall to have them fix this problem. The only students who are automatically enrolled in a meal plan are first year Columbia College and Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences students living in residence halls. If you are not a first year undergraduate and want to enroll in a meal plan, check out the Dining web site for more information, or drop by 125 Wallach Hall. All students who want to enroll in Dining Dollars must visit Columbia Dining Customer Service at 125 Wallach Hall.

• CARD INVALID L/S

This means that the card being swiped is not the most recently issued Columbia Card. You may not have an old card reactivated. If you do not have the most recently issued card, you will need to come to the ID Center to have your Columbia Card replaced. There is a $15 fee to replace both damaged and lost Columbia Cards.

• CARD DELETED

• CARD EXPIRED

• CARD NOT IN SYSTEM

• CARD SUSPENDED

These messages have different meanings, but all can only be resolved by coming to Columbia Dining Customer Service at 125 Wallach Hall.