UM to add alert system

By Ryan Martin

Published Sept. 25, 2007

The UM system campuses have begun plans to implement a new emergency notification system. The alert system could use several communication mediums to inform students, faculty and staff of potential crises.

The UM system has partnered with the National Notification Network, known as 3n, to update its current alert system with the company's mass notification system, called InstaCom Campus Alert. The system was created specifically for colleges and universities.

This system will expand upon the current methods used by the university.

"There are more media we can use to get the alerts out," MU Information Technology Director Terry Robb said. "We were limited to mass e-mail, phone trees and word-of-mouth. With this, we can create one message and send it through all of the devices."

The company's Web site states that the InstaCom Campus Alert allows communication through text messaging, cell phones, BlackBerry devices, e-mail and instant messaging.

Robb said the standards set in the service level agreement from 3n guarantee 40,000 voice communication attempts, 40,000 text messages and 80,000 e-mails within the first hour.

"We have been meeting with students to determine which device they would prefer," Robb said. "I can say for sure that we'd be using cell phones, text messaging, e-mail and wired telephones."

Missouri Students Association President Rachel Anderson said she sees a lot of potential in this new alert system.

Anderson said students would eventually be able to subscribe to certain interest areas, allowing the students to receive information through their preferred device about their particular interest.

"If someone wants to know what's happening with Residential Life, they can be informed about that," she said. "In the long run, that's really the goal."

The immediate goal is just to prepare the system for emergency notification, she said.

Robb said the system could be used to communicate with a target audience, such as a large number of university employees from a particular department.

"If it's more of a routine notification, we might use the system for that," Robb said. "We're developing policies and procedures to determine who is authorized to use these services. There is a lot of work to be done."

A team, which includes the MU Police Department, registrar Brenda Selman and the head of university communications, among others, will have its first meeting today to develop the guidelines for this system.

"We have to define criteria to determine that we're using this system properly," Robb said. "Naturally, we're not wanting to overuse this system so the students' eyes glaze over every time they see them."

Anderson said she had concern over the content as well, but she said she still believes the alert system is important.

"The only way we can make sure this works is to make sure the students update their information on myZou," she said. "Hopefully, we won't have to use it, but at least it's there."

Robb said the interest in this system widened after the tragedy at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

The system is the same now used at Virginia Tech, said Marc Ladin, 3n vice president of global marketing.