PNC Bank is the BBOC – Big Bank on Campus – at six universities in Pennsylvania.
PNC's presence at Duquesne University, Robert Morris College, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Edinboro University, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Pittsburgh is part of a bid to attract and retain banking customers at an early age.
The bank has deployed advanced-function ATMs, which can cash checks to the penny, at several of the campuses – often in prominent locations such as student union buildings.
Marty Hurbi, PNC's manager of checking and card products, said the machines are a "necessary commodity on campus," since most students are in class during regular banking hours. Their popularity is evidenced by their heavy usage, up to 10,000 transactions a month per machine.
Some of the schools also have self-service banking centers where students can use two-way video kiosks to check account balances, order checks, calculate loan payments and perform other banking transactions.
A new feature that PNC offers to any college student, not just those enrolled at one of the state universities, is a savings and checking account package that requires a lower minimum balance than regular accounts and includes a "starter" set of 50 free checks. The bank waives minimum balances during summer months when most students don't use the accounts as much.
PNC's oldest university alliance, with Duquesne, dates back to 1996. Hurbi said the bank has been pleased with the number of new accounts opened by students. However, it's too early to tell if they will remain PNC customers.
Another service PNC provides to the six state universities is identification cards, either magnetic-stripe or chip, which frequently include ATM/debit functionality and stored-value capabilities that allow students to use them like cash to pay for small purchases on campus. In some cases, PNC provides an entire card system, including the back-end processing.
In academia, as elsewhere, Hurbi said a university's decision on migrating to a chip card often depends on "how much money they have sunk into a magnetic-stripe program." But, he added, "We're ready to help them with a chip program if they want one."
PNC just launched a special Visa check card embellished with a scene from Duquesne's campus. Available to any Duquesne fan with a checking account, Hurbi said it's the first Visa check card to be co-branded with a college or university.
He predicts it will be popular among both Duquesne students and alums, many of whom seek out ways to display their school pride. "They like to see their university on their shirts and other clothing, and now they can carry it in their pocket as well," he said.
