Students are now automatically registered for the University’s emergency alert system, according to an email officials sent to students Friday night.

Officials registered the phone numbers students use for the GW Information Technology two-step authentication process for GW Alerts, the email states. Only about half of students, faculty and staff had been receiving the alerts through text message, The Hatchet reported last month.

“The cultural initiative process has reinforced safety as the University’s highest priority,” the email states. “To keep our students, faculty and staff safe, the Division of Safety and Security needs to be able to reach as many people as quickly as possible in an emergency.”

Students can check if their phone number is registered to receive emergency notifications or manually unregister their phone number on the GW Alert website, according to the email.