Chinese student association offers discount card

The Chinese Students and Scholars Association is now distributing a discount-and-reward dining… The Chinese Students and Scholars Association is now distributing a discount-and-reward dining card for hungry Pitt students and faculty members through the Pitt Box Office.

The card costs $3 for students and $5 for faculty and staff. Students should bring their Pitt IDs and the exact amount of cash for registration to the Ticket Office in the William Pitt Union. When they purchase the cards, students will receive a list of participating businesses’ addresses. Tickets will be available for as long as supplies last.

Discounts apply to restaurants and grocery stores in Oakland, Squirrel Hill, the Waterfront and the Strip District. Highlighted business partners include Szechuan Express and Little Asia in Oakland, Yongfa grocery store in the Strip District and Hokkaido Seafood Buffet near the Waterfront.

Offers vary among businesses. Students will receive at least 10 percent off their purchases at more than 20 Chinese restaurants.

In 2008, the card was only available to Chinese Pitt students and staff, as well as visiting scholars. The CSSA extended the offer to all students, staff and faculty in 2009.

Ying Yang, president of CSSA, said that there is higher turnout for the card this year than ever before. It is the program’s three-year anniversary.

“About 400 students have already purchased the discount card,” Yang said. When the program started in 2007, the group sold between 100 and 200 cards.

Yang attributes the enthusiasm to Pitt’s growing Chinese population and new methods of advertising.

“We advertised through other channels this year. Not just our e-mail list, but also our Facebook group and GPSA’s website,” Yang said, referring to the Graduate and Professional Student Assembly.

Yang said that 83 percent of buyers heard about the offer through Facebook.

The whole process is nonprofit, Yang said. The $3 and $5 charges go to cover card-printing fees. There is no annual fee for participating businesses.

Yang said CSSA borrowed the idea for the program from the Chinese Association at the University of Illinois.

“Illinois has a huge Chinese community,” Yang said. “We thought it would be a great idea to initiate the program here.”