University of Colorado at Boulder Parent Guide
CU Students Remain Informed Through Alert System
At noon on Oct. 30, University Communications, the agency responsible for the text alerts, sent out a message to test the system in case of a real emergency.
University Communications has been advertising the test for some weeks now through student e-memos and buff bulletins. In addition to e-mails, University Communications employees made themselves available today in the UMC to answer any questions and to help students sign up for the texts alerts.
Already, there are over 14,000 enrollees. Melanie Massengale, an electronic communications manager, said the heavy advertising is encouraging people to sign up.
“428 people have signed up in the last week alone.” Massengale said. Helping along at the UMC booth was Malinda Miller-Huey, the assistant director of Media Relations and News Services for University Communications, as well as Allison Sylvest of University Communications.
Miller-Huey said enrollees were receiving text messages right away, just minutes after it was sent out at noon.
Katie Loob, a freshman molecular, cellular and developmental biology major, said she was in class when she got the test message.
“I got the message right at 12:03,” Loob said. “I am pretty confident in the system, and I think most people text."
Loob found out about the program at orientation and said she signed up in July.
With such a large volume of text messages being sent, Miller-Huey said there have not been any problems yet.
“I am not concerned, I am very confident in the vendor,” Miller-Huey said. Miller Huey went on to say “we are testing it more preventively than anything.”
However, not all students who signed up for the program received text messages. Sophomore Julian Hirschbaum, a Philosophy major, is signed up for the program and did not receive a text.“I don’t think I got a message today,” Hirschbaum said.
The service is not just available to students; any CU faculty and staff are welcome to sign up for the alerts.
Karen Dempsey, a Human Resource faculty member, has decided to take advantage of the free program.
“I am signed up with the program and did get a text about half an hour ago,” Dempsey said around 12:30 p.m.
Dempsey said she heard about the program through e-mail, and said she likes the idea that CU is trying to improve safety on campus. “I think that it’s good and should go across the internet because not all of us carry cell phones,” Dempsey said with a laugh.
ITS recommends that you contact them if you are signed up for the service and did not get a text message. Problems concerning the text alerts can be directed to (303) 492-INFO or online at www.colorado.edu/alerts/.
Contact Kenny Rosenstein CU Independent Staff Writer kenneth.rosenstein@colorado.edu
