Colleges Use Texting To Warn Students

By Mike Sachoff - Fri, 09/28/2007 - 10:00

Colleges across the country are implementing or have implemented text- based messaging systems in order to communicate with students in the event of an emergency.

Colleges Use Texting To Warn Students

In response to the Virginia Tech murders, colleges are reaching out to those who specialize in text- messaging systems. One such company is Omnilert, based in Leesburg, VA, which is now supplying over 250 colleges and universities with instant messaging capability through a system called e2Campus.

S. Daniel Carter, senior vice president of Security on Campus, a nonprofit organization based in King of Prussia, Pa., told the AP, "Nearly every major college and university in the country is either in the process of implementing a text message warning system or seriously considering do it."

At the University of Wisconsin, the school sent out bulk emails and bought an ad on Facebook to alerts students of a suicidal gunman who was on campus. University officials paid Facebook $100 to post a flier on the school's social network. The ad instructed users to click on a link so they could stay informed about the search for the gunman.

While getting the word out in an emergency is important it can also present some challenges. James F. McShane, associate vice president for public safety at Columbia University told the New York Times that it can be difficult to create a message in a chaotic moment.

"You don't know who's out there," he said. "If you tell people to run, you're telling people to abandon secure cover without really knowing what the risks are."

Even with the challenges that mass communication presents schools are taking advantage of the technology that is available in order to better communicate with students in the event of a crisis.

News Tags: Campus Security, Text Messages, Colleges, Texting

About the author:
Mike is a staff writer for WebProNews.

13 Comments

By Guest (WPN reader) - Thu, 06/04/2009 - 02:10

Violence on campuses has

Violence on campuses has become a regular feature. Texting messages to warn students is a great way to keep them from harm and inform them about any developments.

Rainbow Vacuum Dealer

By Black jack en ligne (WPN reader) - Fri, 06/19/2009 - 16:07

I agree with you. Pari foot

I agree with you.
Pari foot

By Audrey (WPN reader) - Sat, 05/30/2009 - 09:40

I think this is good in

I think this is good in theory but I remember there was one incident where it didn't work as well as they planned. Hopefully it will be improved I think it's important to have something like this!

Wholesale Wedding Favors

By Mike (WPN reader) - Tue, 06/09/2009 - 05:41

Common folks, I know if we

Common folks, I know if we try we can come with something meaningful. We just have to try hard. Mike the - regcure license key guru

By Linda Brooks (WPN reader) - Sat, 05/30/2009 - 07:50

Text Warnings

I think this is a great idea, especially with the recent increase in violence on our campuses. Since 99% of college students are never without their cell phones, students from one side of a campus can be alerted virtually immediately to dangers arising in any other areas.
http://weddingfavorszoom.com/blog

By Non-texter (WPN reader) - Sat, 05/23/2009 - 20:37

Cell-Students

Hehe, what better way to communicate to those cellphone addicted students? I believe it would work.

Lower Back Pain Treatment

By Alexis (WPN reader) - Sat, 05/23/2009 - 20:21

My college has this program

My college has this program and it's really great and effective.

Rainbow Vacuum Dealer

By How to Write a Song (WPN reader) - Fri, 05/22/2009 - 15:11

Great Idea

in emergency situation texting is the best and fast way to inform lots of people.

By Sandy (WPN reader) - Fri, 05/22/2009 - 04:25

Great Idea in emergency situation

This is simply a nice idea to use text- based messaging systems in order to communicate with students in the event of an emergency

Lower Back Pain Cure

By Causes Of Lower Back Pain (WPN reader) - Wed, 05/20/2009 - 04:09

VEry good use of technology.

VEry good use of technology. As texting is one of the fastest,easiest and smartest way to inform. This will really help in emergency time. But only one draw back, sometimes the network signal may be down, and the text message may reach later. Anyways, lets see what happens

Lower Back Pain Cure

By Birdie (WPN reader) - Sun, 05/10/2009 - 23:37

Emergency Notification

What a great idea! There can never be too many ways to let people know about emergency situations! I think this is very smart of college administrators. Let's face it, in this day and age, you can probably find more people carrying their cell phone with them then their wallets even :) I know it's the first thing I grab even before my purse! I personally subscribe to emergency alert services for weather and disasters and appreciate those kinds of services. If I still had kids at college, I would definitely appreciate knowing they had that as a service. And on top of all that, it's very inexpensive! What a great way to save lives AND save money :) :) :)

By Lemonade Cleansing Diet (WPN reader) - Fri, 05/08/2009 - 00:17

In times of emergency, this

In times of emergency, this kind of technology might save the day.

By assignment writing (WPN reader) - Fri, 03/13/2009 - 01:11

he emergency text messaging

he emergency text messaging application converts the numbers to e-mail addresses and then applies standard bulk e-mailing techniques to send out a large body of SMS messages as quickly as possible."

Any text messaging service gcse coursework that ask you to provide the carrier does indeed do this becuase they are using SMTP. Providers that use SMPP do not need this and will not ask you for the carrier. You fail to mention this. I feel this omissionin and of itself leads you to come to an incorrect conclusion. You also need the list of niumbers, something we keep confidential.

SMPP, while not perfect, is a good first strike tool in many situations. I will also state that I epxreience a ot of problems before we reached a level of acceptable performance.

I feel as if you failed to properly research the matter before leaping to a conclusion that I believe is incorrect.