KU News Release

KU to test emergency text messaging system Nov. 15

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas will test one component of its comprehensive emergency communication system at noon Thursday, Nov. 15.

Students, staff and faculty who signed up for text messaging notification will receive a test message on their cellular phones. The message will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the KU Alert text messaging system for situations of imminent danger on campus. This is only a TEST.”

More than 11,000 students, faculty and staff have signed up for the text messaging since a secure Web site, https://sa.ku.edu, was launched in May. Those who have not signed up are encouraged to do so.

A number of people who did not provide complete information when they signed up will not receive the test message. The university has provided instructions to those students, faculty and staff whose information is incomplete and urged them to finish their registration. Those who signed up within the past week will not receive the test message because the database of cell phone numbers is updated at the end of the week.

The university has contracted with Rave Wireless Inc. for text alerting. Rave recently formed partnerships with more than a dozen additional higher education institutions nationwide including the University of Colorado-Boulder, the University of Louisville, Kent State University and the University of Wyoming.

“The safety of the entire KU community is a top priority,” said Chancellor Robert Hemenway. “Every effort is being made to ensure the greatest security levels possible, and effective notification is a key to that safety.”

Other facets of the university’s multitiered emergency notification strategy include:

— E-mail alerts: The university has established an emergency broadcast e-mail system to reach approximately 33,000 KU e-mail accounts.
— Simplex public address system: Simplex fire alarms in many campus buildings allow emergency dispatchers in the 911 center to provide real-time voice messages to an individual building, a group of buildings or to all equipped buildings. Currently, 48 buildings, comprising a majority of the usable space on the Lawrence campus, are equipped with this system.
— Voice mail: Faculty and staff with voice mail-equipped phones can receive a broadcast voice mail message.
— Web page alerts. The university will use its home page, www.ku.edu, as a centralized location for information updates. The university also has established protocols to use local media to help inform the public in the event of an ongoing crisis.

KU has spent nearly $650,000 on the emergency notification system, including $32,500 for the Rave Wireless service and more than $600,000 for the Simplex system.

For inclement weather, the university also maintains an 864-SNOW hotline that is activated if bad weather forces the delay or cancellation of classes or the closure of campus.

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The University of Kansas is a major comprehensive research and teaching university. University Relations is the central public relations office for KU's Lawrence campus.