Veridian Credit Union has made the decision to close their Maucker Union branch upon the end of their lease in June. In addition to the branch closing, the ATMs on campus will be leaving.

Many students have expressed concern over the change.

“I started my Veridian account because I don’t have a car. I live on campus as an international student,” said Carson Zhou-Sun, a senior marketing and interactive digital studies double major.

He chose to bank at Veridian because of the convenience of the location and the readily available ATMs all over campus.

Zhou-Sun said he is concerned for other international students whose modes of transportation might be limited, as well as student organizations who chose to bank with Veridian because of the convenience. The Maucker Union branch served as a location that all students could access, regardless of their transportation situation for almost 10 years.

“If we go back to when we opened in fall of 2008 and take a look at the way members are using the credit union, it has just really changed and evolved a lot, especially the millennial generation who have really taken off on digital banking,” explained Mark Koppedryer, Veridian’s senior vice president of retail.

Koppedryer said that many of the services that people used to have to come in for are now available online and through mobile banking, and that the demand at UNI for a physical branch is less high because of the demographic.

“As Veridian’s lease was set to expire this coming June with the option to renew, the time was right for us to adapt to our members’ behavior changes and make the transition,” Koppedryer said.

Emily Baenzinger is a freshman deciding major, and she chose to open an account at Veridian when she arrived at UNI in fall of 2017.

“It kind of sucks because it’s so convenient having it on campus,” Baezinger said. “It’s so close to home.”

“It affects me a lot,” Zhou-Sun said. “I have been pretty loyal to them for years. I like their services, and they have been super helpful. I’ve been there a lot in the last week, and I’ve noticed that every time I’ve been there I’ve always been in a line. I just don’t understand why they are taking it away.”  

Meredith Miller is a senior public relations major who has banked at Veridian since her time at UNI began.

“Veridian is my main location for banking, so I am upset that it’s leaving,” Miller said. “The location was really convenient for students, but I realize there are most likely underlying reasons behind the change.”

In addition to the branch in Maucker Union, Veridian has sponsored many sporting events through efforts such as the Kickoff Payoff at home UNI football games.

“We have a great partnership and relationship with the University of Northern Iowa,” Koppedryer said. “I don’t see that changing just because we don’t have an on-campus branch there.”

Veridian Credit Union has nine branch locations throughout the Cedar Valley. The closest to campus includes the one located inside of College Square Hy-Vee, as well as the Thunder Ridge location on 1st Street.