The GW Student Health Center is working toward making health services more accessible to students this year.

Some of the changes came as a result of suggestions generated by a Student Association Senate resolution passed at the end of last semester.

The SHC, which is open to students with minor health complications Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., will extended its hours Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. to accommodate students who work during daytime hours.

Students with emergencies such as high fever, minor injuries and anything that cannot wait until the next day can receive treatment during the extended hours, Medical Director Isabella Goldenberg said.

Students will not have access to X-rays or the SHC lab during these extended walk-in hours, but will be able to talk to SHC doctors about health complications, Goldenberg said.

The resolution stems from the work of last year’s Student Association Student Life Committee. The Student Life Committee created a three-pronged proposal addressing the cost of health services, quality of care and communication with students, former Student Life Chairwoman Alexis Rice said.

The committee agreed to increase awareness of student health services, emphasizing the many free options. Dialogue between the SLC and the administration began last December and the suggestions to create new brochures and other ideas were well-received by the administration, Rice said.

“Sometimes the Student Senate gives push to a concept,” Rice said.

The SHC also took the large size of this year’s freshman class into consideration in its decision to extend its hours.

“It was an effort to increase the amount of service that we provide to students and a response to a larger freshman class,” Goldenberg said.

SHC began its extended walk-in hours Aug. 23 and will consider extending its hours on more days if student demand escalates, Goldenberg said.

-Russ Rizzo contributed to this report.