The Rocket

Issue date: 8/31/07 Section: News

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Slippery Rock University is reaching out to the community through text messaging as an alternative way of getting the message out if an emergency should arise on campus.

"Students generally have their cell phones with them; text messaging is like second nature to them," said Executive Director of University Public Relations Rita Abent.

Students, faculty and staff will only be notified if there is a weather disaster, a natural disaster or a human emergency.

"The new Emergency Alert System will give an opportunity to students, parents, faculty and staff to receive emergency messages," said Slippery Rock University President Robert Smith. "It is very important that people understand that we do not know their cell phone numbers, and in order to receive emergency messages, they must sign up online."

Emergency messages will always be sent to SRU e-mail accounts, regardless of whether individuals join the new text- messaging alert system.

It gives the user a lot of options, such as having a text message being sent to students' cell phones, e-mail addresses, and personalized web pages from Yahoo, Google, America Online, and the SRU homepage.

"We thought it was critical to give our faculty, students, and staff one more level of security, and there is no cost for students to sign up," Abent said.

Students are becoming more and more interested in the new text messaging system.

"It is a good idea. In case of an emergency it would be the best way to inform anybody," said junior Andrew Firment.

The registrations are picking up as the new school year moves on, and 300 people were already registered before classes began on Monday, Abent said.

"I think it is a good idea because not everybody has access to a computer 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but almost everyone has a cell phone," said Megan Bean, a sophomore biology major.

"With this new alert system, we will be able to get the most accurate info out, in the most timely manner, to the greatest number of people," Abent said. "One of the things I think emerged from Virginia Tech (massacre) was that people did not get the message quick enough."

"I really believe that we have a very safe campus," Abent said, "but there are crazies and guns in the world, and if something should happen, then this system will help us notify students, faculty, and parents."

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