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In the aftermath of the Virginia Tech shootings last April, higher education officials have been forced to face the urgent need for timely, institution-wide communication to promote  

Campus Safety

 . But how can they reach you, the student, in the event of an emergency? Calling your Dorm room won't help, because, let's face it -- you can't be bothered using a land line. And even if you do subscribe to the telephone service offered by your school, there's no guarantee you'll be in your room to get the message.

In order to get in touch with you in real time, your friends know to call your cell. Now, with the assistance of technology providers such as e2Campus, Campus Alert Systems, Rave Wireless, and many others, colleges can do the same thing.

By installing this cutting-edge messaging technology, Colleges and Universities hope to reach their entire campus communities quickly in emergency situations. These mass notification systems Work by sending instant, one-click campus alerts via cell phone, e-mail, pager, and/or Web page. And more and more schools are taking such techie measures to ensure campus safety and timely emergency communication. Take a look:

Roanoke College (Salem, VA) is currently testing a "Maroon Alerts" system, which is expected to be up and running this fall. The system will send e-mail alerts and text messages to those who opt for this service; students will be encouraged to sign up at orientation.

At Susquehanna University (Selinsgrove, PA) this fall, students can sign up for the school's new short message service, which will send text messages to promote campus safety in emergencies.

The University of Kansas (Lawrence, KS) is testing a voice-message fire alarm system that will be used from a central location to warn people on campus or to broadcast instructions in case of emergency. That system will couple with the text message campus alert system that has been in place since June.

Wartburg College (Waverly, IA) has worked with its in-house information technology office to create an e-mail alert system that can quickly reach all faculty and staff. Bonus: The system, like many others, can also be used for weather alerts.

The bottom line: High-tech campus alert systems have become a critical component of campus safety plans. We just hope that colleges and universities will never have to use them.



Robyn Tellefsen is a frequent contributor to The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.

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