Way cool! Do all colleges do this?

[golfgal]

Our DS's college sends out emergency email notification and a scripted phone call to our cell phones. It's already happened a few times - when there were multiple tornados in the area (how they were protecting the students) and twice when a female student was assaulted and they were looking for the assailant and wanted everyone to be on their guard. They also sent a notice when the person was caught.

I think this is a great idea to keep parents informed and not flooding the campus with calls during an emergency situation.

When I was in school this would have caused MORE problems. Most of the parents wouldn't have had a clue that they were looking for an assailant or that there were tornadoes in the area so "notifying" them of those issues would have prompted more phone calls . Actually, it is kind of sad that they do this--just promotes the helicopter parenting factor even more, but...

 

[AllisonK]

My college does! They test it around once per semester, and over the summer. They call the students, the parents, and send e-mails and text messages. The only time they were ever actually used last year was when we had a snow day and classes were canceled. We got those texts/calls at 5:30 AM on a Friday (actually my mother got the call before I did!). I'm really surprised it hasn't been utilized at all this week as we're hosting tonight's debate.

 

[phorsenuf]

The call was from the security office and not the school in general Said it was a test for emergencies. I'm guessing its not for snow days and such. But we'll see after the first storm.

And I will make sure my son got the call too.

 

[PlainJane]

I know, my college does. It was implemented after VA Tech. You have to sign up to be notified, but you can receive alerts by email, cell phone, home phone, and text message. The only time it's been used since I've been there was to alert us that the school would be closed one day because of a hurricane we had coming through.