Campus Alert Network to Reinforce
Emergency Messaging System
UT Dallas Students, Faculty, Staff Can Sign Up for
Wireless Service at www.utdallas.edu/campusalert
Sept. 20, 2007
Over the next few weeks, The University of Texas at Dallas will implement a new cell phone emergency alert system. Students, faculty and staff members can sign up anytime for the service at www.utdallas.edu/campusalert.
For answers about related questions to Campus Alert, visit www.utdallas.edu/alertfaq.
This system, called Campus Alert, will supplement the Mobile Campus services instituted late last year. The new service is being offered through the University’s Office of Information Resources in cooperation with University Police and the Office of Communications.
Before the Campus Alert system is fully operational, however, it will need to be tested in mid-October. Subsequent testing will be done periodically and all tests will be announced beforehand.
“We believe both systems are valuable communication tools,” said UT Dallas President David E. Daniel. “The redundancy provided by having two systems is reassuring.”
The Campus Alert system will be activated only in cases of emergency. Notifications will be simple and will include one of the following messages:
- Shelter in place. See homepage.
- Weather closing. See homepage.
- Evacuate (name of location). See homepage.
- Lockdown (name of location). Shelter in place until further notice. See homepage.
Campus Alert messages are restricted to fewer than 150 characters. Recipients of a Campus Alert message will be directed to check the University homepage for a detailed explanation of the emergency. A text-only link to a more detailed message may be provided for cell phone users who have Internet access.
For those without a cell phone who wish to receive the alerts, the service can be directed to any email address of their choice. The University will also continue to notify the campus of closings or other emergencies via the channels previously used, including email, voice mail, web and by local radio and television broadcasts.
Selected staff at UT Dallas will have the authority to decide whether a Campus Alert message is needed. Examples that might warrant such an announcement include:
- Immediate threats to health and safety.
- Fires, hazardous chemical spills or other emergencies that force lockdowns or evacuation of one or more campus buildings.
- Weather-related closures.
- Unscheduled campus closings of an emergency nature.
The alert system will not be used to make standard announcements or advertise events. To opt in, users will need a University NetID, a cell phone or other device capable of receiving text messages and an e-mail address associated with that device.
A campus-wide campaign to encourage enrollment in Campus Alert is scheduled to kick off at the UT Dallas Emergency Preparedness Fair on Friday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the mall area in front of the Student Union. After the fair, UT Dallas students, faculty and staff can sign up by visiting www.utdallas.edu/campusalert and following the steps for enrollment. If you need assistance with enrolling, call the UT Dallas Help Desk at 972-883-2911 or email assist@utdallas.edu.
The Mobile Campus System is a commercially available service that was instituted at the request of UT Dallas’ Student Government Association in 2006, and is useful as a communication tool for affinity groups such as student organizations, sports teams and other clubs, as well as for its commercial offerings. For more information about this service, visit www.mobilecampus.com.
Emergency alert messages also will be sent on Mobile Campus. For answers about related questions to Campus Alert, go to www.utdallas.edu/alertfaq.
About UT Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor, enrolls more than 14,500 students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The University offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UT Dallas, please visit the University’s Web site at www.utdallas.edu.
News contacts: Meredith Dickenson, UTD, (972) 883-2293, meredith.dickenson@utdallas.edu
or Jenni Huffenberger, UTD, (972) 883-4431, jennib@utdallas.edu
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July 9, 2008
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