The University will require students to register all overnight guests who will stay at GW during the week of the presidential inauguration by Dec. 12, according to a special policy announced on Friday.

Seth Weinshel, assignments director of GW Housing Programs, opened the first-come, first-serve registration process Friday by sending an e-mail to all 7,000 on-campus residents. Students will be required to apply for spots and will be notified by Dec. 19 if their guests have been approved.

“The fact is, hypothetically, we could have a situation where we have to shelter in place and keep our campus secure,” Weinshel said. “The people we have on the list, those are the people who will be let into the buildings. If they aren’t on list, they won’t be let in.”

The policy will also officially extend the number of nights a guest may stay from three to five between Jan. 16 and 21, and announced that cots will not be available during the inauguration week.

In addition, the e-mail reminded students that the Undergraduate Housing License Agreement prohibits students from subleasing or renting space in their residence hall room. Weinshel said he was worried students might be tempted to rent their rooms, with apartments going on Craigslist for hundreds of dollars per night.

“Thurston Hall has 1,100 people in it,” Weinshel said. “If everyone brings two visitors, that could be a serious problem.”

Weinshel said the last time the University implemented a special overnight guest policy was in 2005, during a major International Monetary Fund protest. He said the number of people expected for the inauguration – estimated as high as four million – has encouraged GW Housing to collaborate with other University and D.C. officials.