Officials installed new turnstiles at GW dining halls over winter break, changing how students pay for their meal and enter the halls.
Now when students enter dining halls in Thurston and Shenkman halls, they will tap their GWorld card on a reader before two GW-branded turnstile doors swing open to let them into the hall. The same turnstiles automatically open for students in the reverse direction as they exit the dining halls.
The Eatery at Pelham Commons on the Mount Vernon Campus did not have turnstiles installed over the break, however, there are turnstiles at the Just-Walk-Out Market in Ames Hall.
Previously, students would have to approach a counter with a point of sale machine to have a GW Dining employee swipe their GWorld card before gaining entrance to the dining hall.
University spokesperson Julia Metjian said the turnstiles were installed over winter break to increase the speed of services at dining halls. She said the University consistently evaluates systems around campus and makes adjustments to make it more accessible.
She declined to comment on how the installation of the turnstiles will affect fire evacuation routes in buildings with dining halls or how the turnstiles will affect the responsibilities or employment status of any GW Dining employees.