Monday marked the first day of class at SMU and also the first real test of the new student ID cards.

Outfitted with a microchip that eliminates the need for a room key, the new red and blue cards open room and outer doors in the new Residential Commons. Monday, a card access issue locked students in the Ware, Crum, Armstrong and Kathy Crow Commons out of their rooms.

As a result, many students, including a number of first year students, were late or missed class. By the afternoon, the problem was resolved.

Late yesterday evening, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Paul Ludden told teachers in an email that this tardy and absence would not count against the students.

According to the email, the Office of Information Technology was working to prevent further lockouts.

The Daily Campus has reached out to the OIT for comment and will update this story with their statement accordingly.