Harvard has updated its identification cards to include magnetic strips, a move which officials hope will improve security and streamline access to University buildings.
The new multipurpose cards, which will also be used to enter dining halls and libraries by next year, will be distributed within the next two weeks.
All staff members, who did not have their pictures on the old ID cards, will also receive the new cards within the next few months. Next year, most students will be able to use their ID cards to enter their dormitories. As of this fall, first-years and North House residents will use separate keycards to access their rooms.