The new design aims to unite the six colleges under the image of the Triton Statue, and will include emergency contact information.

UCSD’s Student Business Services will begin issuing student campus cards redesigned to have an image of a Triton instead of Geisel Library on the front, beginning with this year’s incoming freshmen and transfer students.

Outgoing A.S. Council Social Sciences Senator Colin King, Campus-Wide Senator Fifi Akel and former Campus-Wide Senator Mio White sponsored the “Resolution to Replace Geisel Library with a Triton on the University of California, San Diego Campus Cards” as part of their term projects. A.S. Council voted to pass the resolution as Act #136 on May 29, 2013.

The act stated that the Triton is the “only image that unites the six colleges with school spirit and campus pride” since it’s the official mascot of UCSD. The resolution therefore endorsed removing Geisel Library, a perpetual image of “classroom-based education,” in favor of displaying the Triton to increase university spirit and remind students to view their college experience holistically. Furthermore, UCSD emergency contact information will be printed on the back of his or her card in case it is lost.

“The resolution was [made] to gain more support from different offices around campus to increase pressure on administrators for the project,” King said in an online statement. “We feel the design encompasses the UC San Diego Triton Spirit and offers a timeless icon that will grow with the campus.”

King adds that the change will be made at no extra charge to students or the school.

Working in conjunction with the Campus Cards Office, A.S. Council will introduce the newly styled ID cards to the entering freshmen class in Fall Quarter 2014, as well as to any student with a damaged card needing a replacement. The old design will exist alongside the new one until the old design is eventually phased out through attrition by 2018. Previews of the new student ID card were made available on TritonLink and Blink on Thursday, May 1.