Students now have more ways to connect to the Internet after the University added wireless capabilities to more than a dozen new campus locations.

The University announced Friday that 16 residence-hall common areas now have GWireless service.

“We’ve wanted to expand wireless, but we just don’t know a time frame of how quickly it would be,” said Executive Vice President and Treasurer Lou Katz, who oversees the departments that expanded the service, before spring break.

Assistant Director of Media Relations Matt Lindsay said the additional areas were added primarily in response to student feedback.

“I think with more wireless areas there’s added flexibility for students,” he said. “Hopefully, this is an added service and resource the University is able to provide.”

Student Association Executive Vice President-elect Brand Kroeger advocated for increased wireless spots during the campaign.

“I think it’s fantastic,” he said. “I’m pleased with the announcement because it means that administrators are really taking into account what students want.”

While it is a step in the right direction, Kroeger said the ultimate goal for the University should be to have a completely wireless campus.

“There are campuses across the country that are completely wireless and that is something that GW should move towards,” said Kroeger, a sophomore.

Lindsay said the University continues to assess student feedback and make changes and improvements to campus technology, but did not say if moving to a fully wireless campus was in the plans.

Funding for the program came in part from an expenditure the Board of Trustees approved, according to a press release from the University last week.

New wireless spots include the 1959 E Street penthouses, lobbies in City, Crawford and Mitchell Halls, basements in Francis Scott Key, Guthridge, JBKO, Lafayette, Madison, Munson, Schenley, Fulbright, Strong and Thurston Halls and International House. Ivory Tower’s lower-level food venue, ground-floor student lobby, computer room, TV lounge and study lounges on the third, fifth, seventh and ninth floors are also now wireless areas.

Many students said they were happy to have the opportunity to connect to the Internet at more locations on campus.

“It should have been here for a while – considering we pay a gazillion dollars to go here,” sophomore Alison McCauley said.

McCauley was working on a Web site project for a class using the Ivory Tower food court’s new wireless Internet. She said she and her fellow classmates assumed it had been there for a while when they signed on.

“It’s unfortunate that it took so long, but I’m glad it’s here,” she added.

Sophomore Reut Tenne said she was surprised to see that her residence hall, FSK, had a new wireless-equipped common room.

“Now that I know of course I’ll use it,” she said. “I mean, I think the entire campus should be wireless.”

Both Residential Property Management and Student Technology Services were involved in the project. GW is also planning to post signage indicating connected locations as GWireless spots by the beginning of the fall semester.

GWireless is now available in the following locations:

-Kaitlyn Jahrling contributed to this report.