Published: November 21, 2007 08:12 pm      

Emergency notification comes to Ivy Tech in Sellersburg

Students, faculty and staff at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana in Sellersburg will be able to receive text message and cell phone messages announcing severe weather, cancellations and emergencies through a statewide alert system .

Students wishing to receive emergency alerts may sign up online via the college’s Web site at www.ivytech.edu/alert.

Although there is no charge to students or staff by the college for the service — which transmits text messages via all cellular service providers — some carriers may charge a per-message fee, usually a few cents.

“Student safety is a first priority,” said Ivy Tech President Thomas J. Snyder in a news release. “Ivy Tech Alert will supplement existing, on-location audible and e-mail emergency notification procedures.

“We can now broadcast emergency information to students locally at each of the 14 regions and 23 campuses or statewide, if necessary.”

Originally introduced at the Indianapolis campus, the statewide system can send alerts at the broadcast rate of 24,000 messages per minute to a cell phone, personal e-mail address and Ivy Tech e-mail address.

Ivy Tech Alert will be controlled by college security personnel and administrators, limiting messages to emergencies or important announcements on topics which students have authorized during their opt-in, sign-up process. Students may opt-out at any time.