2008 Woodie Awards
MU urges emergency text system enrollment
Ben Garbarek
Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: Front Page
The Miami University Police Department (MUPD) is increasing efforts to sign up students for its emergency text messaging system, e2campus, as part of Safety Awareness Week.
Miami launched the program this summer in light of the April shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, according to Miami Chief of Police John McCandless.
McCandless and Assistant Director of University Communications Claire Wagner said enrollment in the new text message system stands at around 3,700 students, faculty and
staff members.
"Enrollment is pretty good, but we could do better," McCandless said. "If we can get to 5,000 to 8,000, that'll statistically get us to where other universities are with their (emergency text messaging systems)."
Currently, schools such as Purdue University and Virginia Technical Institute also have emergency text messaging systems.
Wagner said that some students simply don't worry about
campus emergencies.
"We wish (enrollment) was a lot higher but it's a voluntary system," Wagner said. "Some aren't worried about (a disaster)."
Senior P.J. Kelly has not signed up for the emergency text messages and doesn't feel that the alerts are necessary.
"The odds that there will be a shooter on campus during my tenure is (pretty slim)," he said, "(But) it's a step in the right direction and I think most should get (the warnings)."
With less than 20 percent of the campus signed up for e2campus, Wagner said the university is looking to spread the word about the emergency notification system.
She said the university has used messages on myMiami, the Miami Metros and e-mails to encourage students and staff to sign up, as well as sending memos to various departments to make more announcements.
However Miami has yet to test the system, despite problems at other universities with similar systems.
IT Services Deputy Information Officer Debi Allison admitted she is not sure how to properly test the new system.
Miami launched the program this summer in light of the April shooting at Virginia Polytechnic Institute, according to Miami Chief of Police John McCandless.
McCandless and Assistant Director of University Communications Claire Wagner said enrollment in the new text message system stands at around 3,700 students, faculty and
staff members.
"Enrollment is pretty good, but we could do better," McCandless said. "If we can get to 5,000 to 8,000, that'll statistically get us to where other universities are with their (emergency text messaging systems)."
Currently, schools such as Purdue University and Virginia Technical Institute also have emergency text messaging systems.
Wagner said that some students simply don't worry about
campus emergencies.
"We wish (enrollment) was a lot higher but it's a voluntary system," Wagner said. "Some aren't worried about (a disaster)."
Senior P.J. Kelly has not signed up for the emergency text messages and doesn't feel that the alerts are necessary.
"The odds that there will be a shooter on campus during my tenure is (pretty slim)," he said, "(But) it's a step in the right direction and I think most should get (the warnings)."
With less than 20 percent of the campus signed up for e2campus, Wagner said the university is looking to spread the word about the emergency notification system.
She said the university has used messages on myMiami, the Miami Metros and e-mails to encourage students and staff to sign up, as well as sending memos to various departments to make more announcements.
However Miami has yet to test the system, despite problems at other universities with similar systems.
IT Services Deputy Information Officer Debi Allison admitted she is not sure how to properly test the new system.
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