Lehigh’s Finance and Administration Office has introduced the Lehigh Pass, a new mobile ID system, which has gone into effect for the Fall 2026 semester.
On Aug. 18, students and faculty received an email from Lehigh Campus Safety regarding a new campus-wide initiative, converting community members to the Campus Standard profile for future building access, through the new ID system.
The Lehigh Pass is a mobile ID card that can be stored in a digital wallet that allows students to access the same services as a physical card.
The pass combines student identification, Clutch Cash, meal swipes, dining dollars and building access.
The new Lehigh Pass could reduce the number of students visiting the IDEAL office to request replacements, Luff said. It could also allow students to obtain a new ID without paying the $30 replacement fee.
Illena Key, associate vice president and chief information officer for Information Technology Services, said the tool is called the Lehigh Pass because it’s more than an ID.
“It’s not just a card,” Key said. “It’s really a fast pass to everything you need at Lehigh from lunch to laundry to the library.”
Key said the system was introduced in an effort to modernize everyday life at Lehigh. She said this included improving user experience for faculty, staff and students.
Christine Cook, vice president for finance and administration, said she anticipates most Lehigh students will make the switch to the Lehigh Pass because students typically carry their phones with them.
She also said students may want to leave their physical ID cards behind.
“There’s a huge convenience factor and a more transparent experience for the end user,” Cook said.
Some believe, however, that the system is not as convenient as initially promised.
Much of the Lehigh Pass’s functionality is tied to services primarily used by underclassmen, such as laundry in residence halls and dining plans.
Ben Souder, ‘28, has not switched over to Lehigh Pass and said he doesn’t plan to.,
“There’s not really much of a benefit for me to switch,” he said. “I already carry my ID in the back of my phone, so tapping in is no different, and most of the new conveniences I don’t use anymore.”
Julia Hawley, ‘29, has switched over to the Lehigh Pass because she said she prefers not to have her ID on her phone.
“It’s more of a hassle to access,”Hawley said.
According to Cook, students can choose to keep the physical card instead of swapping to the mobile card. However, only one form of ID is made available, so students must choose between the two for security purposes..
Key said the goal is to achieve high adoption rates for the mobile credential. However, she said there are several reasons why someone might opt to continue using a physical ID.
Cara Ann Luff, an IDEAL office employee, said some students have expressed concerns about their phone dying and being unable to use their ID cards.
“Once students learn about the power-reserve features of their smart devices, which allow Mobile ID users to access their IDs for up to five hours after their phones die, many of those concerns diminish,” she said.
Luff also said the IDEAL office typically experiences a significant number of lost ID cards, especially at the beginning of each semester, estimating that 10 IDs would be lost per day.
Last semester, that number has since decreased to approximately five per day last semester, according to Luff.
The Lehigh Pass will also make it easier to onboard new students since students will be invited to participate in the mobile ID system when they arrive at Lehigh.
Key said the department wants to make the transition to Lehigh easier for new students and said she believes the mobile ID system will help do so.
In four years, once the current classes have graduated, she said she expects the Lehigh Pass to become the new norm on Lehigh’s campus, just as digitized mobile systems have become on other college campuses.
Key said she’s been receiving positive feedback from Lehigh’s pilot groups and expects that trend to continue. She said adoption has been steady so far.
“I would encourage people to check it out,” Cook said. “We’re open to feedback, we’re open to questions and if people run into any kind of technical problem, we certainly have lots of people available to make sure that everybody gets what they need.”
For frequently asked questions and more information about the Lehigh Pass, students can visit the Lehigh Pass website.
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