2008 Woodie Awards
Text messages to alert students
Holly Meyer
Issue date: 7/25/07 Section: News
Members of the SIUE community will be notified more quickly and efficiently than before of any crisis happening on campus through the use of cell phones and text messages.
"After the Virginia Tech tragedy, we convened a committee to find out how to alert the campus during an on going event like what happened there," Greg Conroy, marketing and communications director, said.
OIT came up with a cell phone based system that would allow anyone with an EID to subscribe to the system. The system would alert the subscribers via text message of a crisis. Students will submit their cell phone numbers on a voluntary basis. The students will not be charged for the use of the system, according to Conroy.
"We learned then that other schools in the state were interested," Conroy said.
A cooperative of state schools including SIUE and SIUC are negotiating with a vendor.
Conroy said Ken Neher, Vice Chancellor of Administration, did not want to release the name of the vendor until negotiations were finished and a contract was figured out.
Conroy said the university will still use the old forms of alerting the campus in times of crisis: emails to students, voicemails to campus phones and updates on the website.
The system is expected to be operating at the end of the fall semester. However, the administration is shooting for the middle of the semester.
"It doesn't happen over night," Conroy said.
A recent note found in the car of student Olutosin Oduwole threatened a "terrorist rampage" similar to the Virginia Tech. Oduwole pleaded not guilty to the charges against him on Wednesday.
In April, student Andrew Stone was arrested for a threat against the university on Facebook.
Conroy said the plans for a quicker alert system were already being considered before these two events happened.
"After the Virginia Tech tragedy, we convened a committee to find out how to alert the campus during an on going event like what happened there," Greg Conroy, marketing and communications director, said.
OIT came up with a cell phone based system that would allow anyone with an EID to subscribe to the system. The system would alert the subscribers via text message of a crisis. Students will submit their cell phone numbers on a voluntary basis. The students will not be charged for the use of the system, according to Conroy.
"We learned then that other schools in the state were interested," Conroy said.
A cooperative of state schools including SIUE and SIUC are negotiating with a vendor.
Conroy said Ken Neher, Vice Chancellor of Administration, did not want to release the name of the vendor until negotiations were finished and a contract was figured out.
Conroy said the university will still use the old forms of alerting the campus in times of crisis: emails to students, voicemails to campus phones and updates on the website.
The system is expected to be operating at the end of the fall semester. However, the administration is shooting for the middle of the semester.
"It doesn't happen over night," Conroy said.
A recent note found in the car of student Olutosin Oduwole threatened a "terrorist rampage" similar to the Virginia Tech. Oduwole pleaded not guilty to the charges against him on Wednesday.
In April, student Andrew Stone was arrested for a threat against the university on Facebook.
Conroy said the plans for a quicker alert system were already being considered before these two events happened.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Jill
posted 7/29/07 @ 1:26 PM CST
How do you submit your cell phone number so you can be alerted through texting? I don't understand how I will be notified if the campus does not have my cell number. (Continued…)
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