If the promise of an off-campus BUC$ alternative for Binghamton University students seems as though it’s been in the works since practically the turn of the millennium, that’s because it has.

Once slated to debut by the beginning of the semester, and by Thanksgiving before that, the launch of the highly publicized and equally anticipated off-campus BUC$ program has, once again, been delayed.

So what’s a few more weeks … or months?

Unfortunately, for students sitting in their cars and waiting to make a bee line to participating vendors, the dream of off-campus BUC$ most likely won’t become a reality until next semester, according to Mike Smyth, the current Student Association president.

BUC$, a product of the Blackboard corporation, is currently used for on-campus services such as vending machines, photocopying and printing, and is popular among students, so it comes as no surprise that these students are eager to bask in the convenience of their BUC$ accounts at off-campus venues.

Such was the mentality of the Student Association upon green lighting the project, one of Smyth’s campaign promises. An online survey of prospective locations was sent to students last October, but the promise of off-campus BUC$ has yet to be realized.

One of the many local favorites confirmed to have jumped on the BUC$ bandwagon, Campus Wings, seems to be as in the dark concerning the destiny of the program as students are.

“We thought Sodexho gave it the kibosh,” said a representative for Campus Wings who preferred to remain nameless. “We signed a contract with Blackboard in March of last year. I couldn’t understand how they haven’t let it happen.”

Along with Campus Wings, which opened its doors last year, other already confirmed venues include BG’s and Pepe’s pizzerias, with several other businesses, such as Hooters and TGIFriday’s, confirmed through verbal agreement, and still other locations such as Applebee’s and Wegman’s on a marketing agreement “wait list.”

According to Smyth, much of the delay regarding BUC$’s move off campus involves what he described as “banking issues” between Sodexho and Blackboard, something which he insists is “supposedly not a big deal,” as well as complications with larger corporations, such as Wal-Mart.

Smyth, who has in the past promised the off campus version of BUC$ to be “up and running by the first day of spring classes,” has also commented on the “necessity” of an off-campus meal card and BU’s lagging in not having one of its own.

It is seemingly Smyth and the SA who are caught lagging, however, as their struggle to get BUC$ off the ground is growing more apparent.

“I feel that [this] summer should be enough time,” said Smyth on how much longer it would take for BUC$ to get itself off campus. “I see no reason why it shouldn’t be ready by the fall.”