GCSU adopts cell phone alert system to aid safety

     GCSU is going high-tech and trendy when it comes to student’and faculty safety in campus. A new program, Connect-Ed for Safety, was recently launched to GCSU students, faculty and staff here in Milledgeville as well as the Macon campus.
     Connect-Ed will use text messaging to reach massive numbers of the GCSU community in case of emergencies. This will be added to other emergency notification systems around campus such as e-mail and alarms among others. Students can register for the service through PAWS and staff and faculty can register from the employee self-service website.
     Bryan Jackson, director of university communications, oversees the Connect-Ed program.
     “It’s been a program that we’ve been planning for a while now,” Jackson said. “We are positive that this will help with communication and improve the safety of students tremendously.”
     Students can rest at ease because not only will they get immediate contact in case of emergencies, but the text messaging will also be used sparingly.
     “We will only text message students in case of emergencies,” Jackson said. “Students can rest assure that we will not be sending them announcements unless it is absolutely necessary.”
     Such emergencies will include events such as severe weather and worst-case scenarios much like the shootings in Virginia Tech this past spring and campus closings.
     Student Government Association helped in raising awareness about the Connect-Ed program by setting up information tables in campus. They showed students how easy it is to be part of the program and physically registered them.
     “It takes literally less than a minute when going through the PAWS system,” Marcus Greene, SGA treasurer, said. “It’s such a great program for our school to offer and this reflects how important this is for the advancement for student safety. It’s important that the students take advantage of this program because it can create such a positive impact.”
     Students who registered agree that Connect-Ed is a huge leap towards improving safety.
     “I’m not really worried about the school having such an easy access to my cell phone number because I think it’s going to improve communication in our school and make it efficient,” Natalie Vinson, a senior dual marketing and management major, said. “This helps me feel safe and less worried should something happen.”
     A text message will be sent on or around Nov. 12 wherein students who sign up will be asked if they want to continue with the service. Anyone can opt-in or opt-out of the service at any time.
     However,  the service isn’t free. Standard text messaging fees apply as per policy of the user’s cell phone provider.    Students and GCSU members who do not have a cell phone or can’t receive text messaging will still be informed of campus emergencies through e-mail, and other safety precautions that are currently being explored by the school.
     “We are taking every measure to insure that everyone in this campus is informed,” Jackson said. “We are looking at various options such as public address and emergency boxes. But at this time we feel that text messaging offers contact and reaches the most people in the least amount of time.”
     Matt Anderson, a senior psychology major, is hoping students sign-up and take advantage of the opportunity.
     “It’s really easy to sign-up, and honestly, a few cents that it will cost, means nothing if it means our safety,” Anderson said.  “I most certainly hope the school doesn’t use it often, but, when it comes to safety, I guess it’s good we’re preparing for the worst.”
     Students, faculty and staff who are also intend to change numbers must update to the website.
     Students, staff and faculty who have yet to sign up can still do so online.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Nov 9 2007. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry