Dawg Dollars have been implemented this fall semester as a new method of payment on campus.

Dawg Dollars serve a similar function as the already available flex dollars, allowing students to use money on their Pace One card at places other than the dining facilities on campus. Dawg Dollars were instituted to pay for printing at all computer resource labs, vending machines, and the Pace Mart convenience store in Mortola Library.

Dr. Kathryn Winsted, Associate Professor of Marketing, and Mary Lieto, Director of Auxiliary Services, put forth the idea for Dawg Dollars in order to create a way for students to pay for items in Pace Mart with their Pace One Cards. Due to the sale of non-food convenience items, Chartwells would not allow Pace Mart to be jointly used as a student’s meal plan or flex dollars, which are strictly reserved for off-campus use.

Lieto presented the idea of separate campus spending accounts on the Pace Higher One card strictly for conveniences, similar to universities across the country. This campus spending account, with its name inspired from the Pace Mascot T-Bone, ultimately became Dawg Dollars.

“Students want something for the vending machines; [they] need something extra for the printers, and also Pace Mart,” Winsted said. “Then we said campus account sounds a little too boring. My daughter goes to a school where they have a hawk as a mascot, so they have Hawk Dollars… [We said] ‘What about Dawg Dollars?’”

Due to the new administered system, many students are still unaware of the existence of Dawg Dollars. However, some students seemed to like the idea after hearing about it.

“I didn’t know about Dawg Dollars until now, but I like the flex dollars,” sophomore business major Kevin Hom said. “It’s something you can keep on your card and it’s pretty easy to use. So, if it’s like that, and if it gave me discounts and stuff, I would definitely use it.”

Students wishing to add Dawg Dollars to their accounts can visit the Dawg Dollars section of the Pace website and follow the instructions to transfer funds to their accounts. Students can also authorize parents or guardians too add money to their accounts through the website.  Once a student’s transaction is complete, a receipt will be emailed to them. After Dawg Dollars are added to the student’s account, students can immediately begin using them around campus..

“With the Master Plan under way and the expansion of our Pleasantville campus, we think it only makes sense that students have additional funding options and an easier shopping experience,” senior and Pace Mart co-founder Kristina Vukaj said. “It is just a matter of getting the word out and having students become familiar with the idea.”