Student Frequently Asked Questions
We have compiled a list of questions that we receive most often from students. If your question is not answered below, or if you need further clarification, please feel free to contact us at 615-322-2273; (2-CARD on campus). We will be happy to assist you.
Most Common Commodore Card Questions:
How do I add funds for the academic year?
What is the process to get my Commodore Card?
What is a Vanderbilt debit spending account?
What are my meal plan options?
What do I do if I lose my Commodore Card or if it is stolen?
What do I do if I find my Commodore Card that I reported lost?
Why can't I add funds to my account?
Is information about my Commodore Cash kept confidential?
How can my parents/guardians obtain my Commodore Card transaction activity?
Who do I contact if I have an issue with a Taste of Nashville Location?
What is considered an appropriate photo for my Commodore Card?
How do I add funds for the academic year?
The website for additions for the 2011/2022 academic year opens April 1 (click here). The deadline to have funds pre-loaded and included on your August 1st billing statement is July 15. If you would like funds for immediate use, click here.
If you make no selection or select $0, you will incur a $35.00 late payment fee per addition between July 23rd and September 15, 2019 and again between November 23 and January 15. Each addition and associated fee will appear on your billing statement.
You may add by check at any time without incurring a fee. Please make checks payable to Vanderbilt University and include the student's name and Commodore ID on the check.
What is the process to get my Commodore Card?
Photo identification, such as a driver’s license or passport, is required to obtain your Commodore Card.
Returning Students:
If you misplaced your card, you can obtain a new card by coming to the Commodore Card Office during regular business hours, Monday through Friday 8:30am and 4:00pm There is a $25.00 fee for all replacement cards.
Student Family:
Please bring photo identification, such as a driver’s license or passport, to the Commodore Card Office to obtain a card. You must be accompanied by your student sponsor. Spouses of students will also need to bring a marriage certificate. The cost for a card is $10.00 (mag stripe only), or $25.00 (mag/iClass). iClass is needed for Rec Center access. (Membership fees separate.)
What is a Vanderbilt debit spending account?
A Vanderbilt debit spending account functions in much the same way as a bank debit card. Funds are added to a debit spending account, which can be used at a number of campus locations to purchase various products and services. When a purchase is made using the Commodore Card, funds are automatically deducted from the debit account balance.
Vanderbilt offers students two types of debit spending accounts:
- Commodore Cash is a debit spending account that can be used anywhere on or off campus where the Commodore Card is accepted for payment, which includes food and non-food purchases, such as books and supplies, vending, laundry, printing, and athletic events. Commodore Cash balances can be carried over from year-to-year on your student’s debit spending account.
- Meal Money is available only to meal plan participants and is used for food purchases. Meal Money must be depleted by the end of each spring semester as it is a “use it or lose it” plan. If a meal plan is canceled or removed during a semester, Meal Money is forfeited.
Differences between Commodore Cash and Meal Money:
|
Commodore Cash |
Meal Money |
|
No meal plan required |
Only available with a meal plan |
|
Can be used for food and non-food purchases |
Can be used for food purchases only |
|
Unused balance can be carried over year-to-year |
Unused balance can not be carried over year-to-year (“Use it or lose it”) |
|
Purchases are taxable |
Purchases are non-taxable except for off-campus purchases |
What are my meal plan options?
VUMeal Plan options for students can be viewed on the Campus Dining website.
What do I do if I lose my Commodore Card or if it is stolen?
If you lose your Commodore Card or if your card has been stolen, you must report it immediately! You may do this anytime by clicking
here
and following the "
I lost My Card
" link on the website.
You may also contact the Commodore Card Office at 615-322-2273
(On-campus dial 2-CARD) between the hours of 8:30am to 4:00pm, Monday through Friday.
Lost Commodore Cards are reissued at the Commodore Card Office only. There is a $25.00 fee for all replacement cards.
For your protection, all Commodore Cards used by someone other than the cardholder will be confiscated. Unauthorized expenditures of up to $500.00 are the responsibility of the cardholder for lost or stolen Commodore Cards not reported within 24 hours.
What do I do if I find my Commodore Card that I reported lost?
If you find your latest Commodore Card that you have previously reported lost then you can simply return to the Commodore Card website and mark your card found. Click here to mark card found.
Why can't I add funds to my account?
Before funds can be added to your Commodore Card and charged to your student account, acknowledgement of the terms of a Student Account Agreement form is required. All Vanderbilt University students are required to acknowledge the terms and conditions of an online Student Account Agreement form when logging into the YES portal. Please note that the acceptance of these terms and conditions is mandatory, and will be required on an annual basis.
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Is information about my Commodore Cash kept confidential?
Yes. Vanderbilt will not release any account information to a third party. Information will only be provided to the student and the guarantor(s) of the student account.
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How can my parents/guardians obtain my Commodore Card transaction activity?
Guest access is no longer available. However, there are two ways your parent or guardian can receive this information.
- The student may generate a transaction report for the parent/guardian. Log in to the Get Funds site. Click on "View All Transaction History". From here you may choose to print, email or export your transactions to a .pdf file.
- Your parent or guardian may contact the Commodore Card Office at (615) 322-2273 . If they are the account guarantor on the Student Account Agreement form, we will supply them with the desired information.
Who do I contact if I have an issue with a Taste of Nashville Location?
Please fill out the Taste of Nashville resolution form
What is considered an appropriate photo for my Commodore Card?
- Your entire head and shoulders must be visible
- You must be facing forward looking directly into the camera
- You must have a plain background
- No other people or objects may be in the photo
- You must not have anything touching your face such as hands, props or other distractions
- You must not make any gestures or inappropriate facial expressions
- You may not wear a hat or sunglasses
- You may not wear jewelry or garments that obstruct the view of your face
- Vanderbilt Card Services reserves the right to determine any photo as being inappropriate