Most uni shops to stay ‘cashless’

MOST shops and outlets at the University of Otago’s Dunedin campus will remain ‘‘cashless’’ after a recent trial of accepting only electronic payments.

However, people wanting to use cash or withdraw it were heard during the trial, and provision will be made for people wanting to use cash or withdraw it.

Feedback on the trial — run during the university’s second semester — showed a small number of people still wanted cash options on campus, Otago University Union general manager Stephen Baughan said.

The campus shop would accordingly accept cash this year, because it was central for many people.

The Visitors’ Centre would also accept cash because the centre was mainly used by tourists who paid only with cash, and the same would apply at the university Executive Residence because tourists used it as well, Mr Baughan said.

He also thanked people for taking the time to give their preferences.

The ‘‘cashless campus’’ trial began after the pandemic lockdown at all Dunedin campus universityowned cafes, retail shops, bars, and food outlets, as well as the Marsh Study Centre, Staff Club and Executive Residence.

The University Union had wanted to focus more on electronic payments for some time because they were faster for customers and staff, and more efficient because operating 26 tills across 18 areas involved spending about 40 hours a week managing cash, Mr Baughan said.

The change was also safer and more efficient because Campus Watch staff did not have to deliver so many floats for tills or collect so much cash, Covid19 risks in multiple handling of cash were reduced, and revenue management staff were freed up to do other tasks.

When the trial began in July, a handful of complaints had been received.

Most complaints overall had come from university staff (38 emails), as well as three from students and two from the general public, he said.

Mr Baughan had earlier said that, before the Covid19 lockdown, cash sales had amounted to less than 10% of transactions.