A new program to help improve communications to the campus community in the event of an emergency has been launched. Students, faculty, and staff are being encouraged to sign up for the Emergency Notification System (ENS), which uses voice, e-mail, and text messaging to allow Ithaca College officials to provide time-sensitive information and details on appropriate responses during critical situations. To sign up to receive emergency alerts using all three methods, visit www.ithaca.edu/emergencynotification and log into the system using your Ithaca College e-mail username and password.
The ENS was established by the College in conjunction with Connect-Ed, a company that provides comprehensive communications systems to educational institutions. Brian McAree, vice president for student affairs and campus life and chair of the Ithaca College Core Emergency Response Team (CERT), says that the new system allows the College to use the tools of modern technology to extend its reach in the event of a crisis.
"The CERT meets regularly to assess the College's preparedness and to develop timely, coordinated, and effective responses to emergency situations," says McAree. "Following the tragedy at Virginia Tech, we made a concerted effort over the summer to institute a program that would enhance our methods of reaching students, faculty, and staff in multiple ways anytime and anywhere in the event of an emergency."
By default, any messages that are sent through the ENS will go to all active Ithaca College student, faculty, and staff e-mail accounts and to faculty and staff office telephones that are listed in the campus directory. The ENS website gives you the option of providing other contact methods, including a personal e-mail address you use frequently (Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, e.g.), a cell phone number representing your text messaging device, and other telephone numbers (parent(s), spouse, home, other cell phone, e.g.) at which you would like to receive the voice message.
Faculty and staff members who do not currently have the number for the telephone at their desk listed in the campus phone directory should consider adding that as one of their optional phone numbers.
McAree stresses that the ENS will only be used in situations in which it is vital to give immediate notification and instructions to the campus community, and that the contact information provided will be kept confidential and not used for any other purpose.
"We have already conducted one test of the ENS with faculty and staff e-mail addresses and office telephones," says McAree. "After members of the campus community have had the opportunity to visit the website and add contact methods, we will conduct additional testing during the fall semester. For the system to reach its fullest potential, I urge everyone in the campus community to take advantage of the signup option -- ideally by the end of September."
For more information on the Emergency Notification System, visit the Frequently Asked Questions page at www.ithaca.edu/emergencynotification/faqs.php. For more information on Connect-Ed, visit www.ntigroup.com/products/higher-ed.asp.
