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[lostleader]

http://chronicle.com/daily/2008/02/1697n.htm

There is a fundamental flaw when you ask "What Kind of Notification System Works Best When Crisis Strikes?"  I think instead we should be asking what kind of notification system works best in a teaching environment.  The student who gets 30 or more text messages an hour from friends now needs to check every one during class as they come in, just to make sure that it is not the university sending out a critical alert.  This means that as a teacher, I can no longer say "Put away all cellphones until the end of class."  Even if it is never used by the administration, the implementation of message-based notification has had a negative impact on the teaching environment that merits at least some discussion, particularly in light of today's commentary on the assessment of risks by James Alan Fox (http://chronicle.com/daily/2008/02/1701n.htm).

[octoprof]

I read the blurb about the "notification system" with some horror. So, will faculty be required to let students keep their mobile phones on in class?

As far as I know, my campus doesn't have a text-based notification system, yet, we've managed twice in the past year to get everyone on campus notified of impending dangerous weather and closure of campus in a matter of a few minutes.  I don't think mobile phone text messages are the be-all end-all of campus safety features.

[donstefano]

And what about the question of whether we actually need it. They are trying to convince us now because of some shootings, but notification systems are mainly symbolic because of the absence of information there is anyway in such a situtation (also for those sending out the messages). An old-fashioned sirene may just be as effective.
Some companies want us to believe iit is essential.

[octoprof]

And what about the question of whether we actually need it. They are trying to convince us now because of some shootings, but notification systems are mainly symbolic because of the absence of information there is anyway in such a situtation (also for those sending out the messages). An old-fashioned sirene may just be as effective.
Some companies want us to believe iit is essential.

Good points.

Sirens do work well in my part of the country for tornado warnings. Of course, when the sirens go off we all assume it's a tornado so they'd need to come up with a different sounding one for "mad man on campus with guns."

[mended_drum]

We have a text notifying method on my campus, but I still require cell phones to be turned off.  No one has told me I can't so far.

[donstefano]

Sirens have always had 'codes': types of alarm, start of alarm, end of alarm. It's just that we don't know these codes anymore.

[octoprof]

Sirens have always had 'codes': types of alarm, start of alarm, end of alarm. It's just that we don't know these codes anymore.

Yes, I vaguely remember as a child being taught the difference between a fire alarm and a tornado alarm, but I don't recall the details. Those are pretty important differences where I live.  Of course, these days, the fire alarms are inside the building and unmistakeable.  The tornado alarms are outside and are basically airraid sirens.

[donstefano]

As always, Wikipedia is our trusted source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_raid_siren

But I guess a siren is too cheap a system for the notification systems industry...
And anyway, the children (sorry, students) don't know the meaning anymore. They don't even know anymore what stations to listen to for emergency information, so reliant are they on the internet.

[octoprof]

As always, Wikipedia is our trusted source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_raid_siren

But I guess a siren is too cheap a system for the notification systems industry...
And anyway, the children (sorry, students) don't know the meaning anymore. They don't even know anymore what stations to listen to for emergency information, so reliant are they on the internet.

Actually, at our location, the sirens work well. We know from experience with tornados [I live in one of those parts of the country where the whole county is blanketed by sirens because of so many tornadoes]. So, training students and faculty to understand a particular siren pattern wouldn't be too hard, I think.

[desert_rat]

On our campus, we have the text notfication system.  I also require cell phones to be off during class.  But, it gives me great comfort that the Campus Police have posted notices in every classroom, hallway, and office.  The subject?  "Response to Active Shooter Situations".  The text?  A whole page of text that takes about 10 minutes to read.  The gist?  "Run away.  If you can't run away, hide".

Well, goodness!  I wish I had thought of that!  I guess that's why Campus Police get paid the big bucks....

[gayle]

Our campus has also recently implemented one of these systems, but I have no cell reception in my office.  They also have an outdoor speaker alert system, but I can't hear it in my office with the windows closed, and the windows don't open, so I guess I'm out of luck.

Of course, I am very reassured by the half dozen or so emails I've gotten from the administration in the last couple weeks about how they care about us.  And gave us cards to put in our wallets with emergency contacts and the counseling center's phone number.  Oh, so very reassured. 

How about they just get the known unstable cranks off campus?  That would actually be reassuring.

[see_wolf]

Actually, at our location, the sirens work well. We know from experience with tornados [I live in one of those parts of the country where the whole county is blanketed by sirens because of so many tornadoes]. So, training students and faculty to understand a particular siren pattern wouldn't be too hard, I think.

A friend from the midwest had a very hard time adjusting to the sirens out here in rural NYS... the volunteer fire alarms sound like the tornado warning sirens back home.  She lived in an area where she could hear 3 (or 4, when the wind blew south) sirens here.

How about they just get the known unstable cranks off campus?  That would actually be reassuring.

Unfortunately, the unstable cranks often can return to campus without any interference.  How many college campuses are closed?  I know ours is wide open, many entrance points, available day or night.

[jamesalanfox]

A very intereting array of postings.

At NIU, they're saying (at least to the press) that the notificaiton system worked perfectly. However, what is the effect of a text mesaage to stay away from a particular part of the campus. Without the messgae, would people actually enter a building when seeing a buch of students running out screaming?

[gayle]

How about they just get the known unstable cranks off campus?  That would actually be reassuring.

Unfortunately, the unstable cranks often can return to campus without any interference.  How many college campuses are closed?  I know ours is wide open, many entrance points, available day or night.

I realize there is a fine line between keeping them and letting them go in which has the higher likelihood of resulting in violence. 

I think in this particular case this is a toss up. 

But if they were no longer employed here, at least they wouldn't be making everyone's life miserable while we waited to see if it would turn violent.

[donstefano]

when are cranks cranks? On all the universities I've worked, there always were a couple of weird people: the funny homeless guy with his guitar, they bearded guy reciting bible verses, the trotskyist paper sellers etc. None of them, I'm sure, ever were students. But does it mean we should remove them from campus? I totally disagree. A university is not like some squaky clean business. It is a service to society, and we should not try to get all phenomena not fitting our nice definitions and categories off our campus.