It’s easy to forget what student ID cards and their underlying systems can enable for a campus community. Similarly, we overlook just how easy it can be to leverage ID technology to improve the student experience. The women’s center at Tufts University has experienced just this by installing a card reader at its facility for the first time in a move that will expand availability to students.

As reported by The Tufts Daily, the Women’s Center proposed the addition of a campus card reader in an effort to make the facility more accessible to students who use the space. It’s a request that has been raised by students in the past, as a means to expand the center’s use beyond just the times when staff were available to open it.

The Women’s Center worked, in part, with the Tufts University Police Department to get the new ID card access system up and running. Following the installation of the card reader, the center is now open to those who have signed up for card access between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, with more flexible weekend hours available as well.

In the past, the center had to be closed during times when there was no staff member present in the building. Officials with the center report that the facility has already seen increased use since the implementation of student ID card access earlier this semester.

The addition of card access was a natural fit, as the facility is used for a number of student activities and events, as well as serving a place for students to study and work. Implementing campus card access not only makes it more convenient for students to utilize the facility, but has also helped instill a stronger sense of community at the center.

“Being able to have a place to study, nap, whatever you need, is invaluable,” said Michelle Delk, a Tufts University sophomore, in a Tufts Daily Interview. “Key card access definitely makes the center more accessible, and both individuals and groups reap those benefits.”