Metal keys have been significantly reduced. Students, faculty and staff now have a single access card for applications ranging from opening doors to paying for campus dining and other purchases.

University can now more easily expand and adapt its access control infrastructure as needed to support growth and new capabilities without forfeiting earlier investments.

AUSTIN, Texas, January 29, 2014 – HID Global®, a worldwide leader in secure identity solutions, today announced that its iCLASS SE® access control platform has been used by the Academy of Art University in San Francisco® to secure almost every door of the institution, across dozens of geographically dispersed buildings that house expensive equipment and high-value student work product. The iCLASS SE platform has increased the university’s safety and security, reduced theft, and delivered new capabilities along with an improved campus experience and the ability to expand its access control infrastructure to support growth and future improvements. Watch the video.

“Meeting our twin needs for both security and scalability required that we upgrade to an access control system based on an open architecture that could support multiple card technologies and future enhancements,” said Mike Petricca, campus safety director with the Academy of Art University. “HID Global’s iCLASS SE platform has made our campus more safe and secure, while enabling cardholders to do more than just open doors with their ID cards, including making purchases using the university’s debit program for meals and cashless vending, and gaining access to athletic events.”

Academy of Art University has used the iCLASS SE platform to create what it believes is the nation’s first completely locked-down campus environment, with all access controlled through a single, centralized system. Metal keys are no longer required at the majority of buildings and the ID cards enable users to open doors much more quickly, which can be very important in an urban setting. HID Global’s iCLASS SE platform has delivered a number of benefits during the upgrade process, including:

Streamlining the upgrade transition through multiCLASS SE® readers that support both HID Global’s Indala® low-frequency, entry-level proximity cards as well its iCLASS® and higher-security iCLASS SE smart card credentials, plus other card technologies including MIFARE® and DESFire®;

Making it easier to control access restrictions in labs, residence halls and other areas, while improving reporting so the security team could provide building usage input for access policy decisions.

Simplifying credential issuance and management, with the ability to automatically turn cards off and on between semesters, or permanently disable identities after resignation or failure to re-enroll.

Giving administrators the future ability to provision credentials on mobile phones in a managed access environment, which the university believes will be extremely attractive to students, faculty and staff who rely more and more heavily on smartphones for a variety of daily tasks.

“Academy of Art University has demonstrated the same spirit of innovation with its access control infrastructure as it has with its unique approach to state-of-the-art curriculum, facilities and resources,” said Anthony Ball, senior vice president, Identity and Access Management (IAM) with HID Global. “The iCLASS SE platform has given the university an access control foundation with which it can embrace change and support future improvements that will benefit faculty and staff, as well as students and their parents.”

Growing security threats and shrinking budgets have driven demand for multi-functional smart card solutions that educational institutions can use to improve security, versatility and efficiency. Today, thousands of educational institutions around the world have adopted HID Global’s secure issuance solutions to create, use and manage campus ID cards. These cards can be utilized for physical access to buildings, logical access to networks, library checkout and other services, as well as cashless and debit card transactions on and off campus.

About Academy of Art UniversityAcademy of Art University, the largest private university of art and design in the United States, is educating students for the art and design jobs of the 21st Century. Established in 1929, the Academy is an output-based higher education model that provides open admissions to all students, but imposes a rigorous curriculum that requires the students to produce a portfolio of work that demonstrates a mastery of their field in order to graduate. Students are taught by a faculty of professionals from the existing marketplace, both online and on campus in San Francisco, who provide them with an understanding of what it takes to succeed in today’s business environment. The Academy’s hands-on curriculum produces graduates that possess great artistic and design skills -- and equally as important, the ability to put those talents to work immediately after graduation. As a result, Academy graduates are ready to compete for and win the jobs of the 21st Century in the fields of Acting, Advertising, Animation & Visual Effects, Architecture, Art Education, Art History, Fashion, Fashion Journalism, Fashion Styling, Fine Art, Game Design, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Interior Architecture & Design, Jewelry & Metal Arts, Landscape Architecture, Motion Pictures & Television, Multimedia Communications, Music Production & Sound Design for Visual Media, Photography, Visual Development, Web Design & New Media and Art Teaching Credential. Academy of Art University is accredited by WASC, NASAD, Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) (BFA/MFA-IAD), and NAAB (B-ARCH*, M-ARCH), California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC). *B-ARCH program in candidacy status. Visit www.academyart.edu for more information.

About HID GlobalHID Global is the trusted source for innovative products, services, solutions, and know-how related to the creation, management, and use of secure identities for millions of customers around the world. The company’s served markets include physical and logical access control, including strong authentication and credential management; card printing and personalization; visitor management systems; highly secure government and citizen ID; and identification RFID technologies used in animal ID and industry and logistics applications. The company’s primary brands include Indala®, ActivID®, EasyLobby®, FARGO®, IdenTrust®, LaserCard® and HID®. Headquartered in Austin, Texas, HID Global has over 2,100 employees worldwide and operates international offices that support more than 100 countries. HID Global® is an ASSA ABLOY Group brand. For more information, visit www.hidglobal.com.

Academy of Art University® is a registered trademark of Stephens Institute. MIFARE® and DESFire® are registered trademarks of NXP, BV.

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® HID, the HID logo, iCLASS SE, Indala, multiCLASS SE, Secure Identity Object, SIO, and Trusted Identity Platform are trademarks or registered trademarks of HID Global in the U.S. and/or other countries. All other trademarks, service marks, and product or service names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.