College adds alert system

Students and staff can sign up to receive text messages

By: Ben Wurl-Koth, Clarion News Editor

Posted: 3/11/09

Troubles on campuses do occur and are often difficult to deal with. Weather induced campus closures, maintenance related closures or emergencies that require immediate attention occur on campuses nationwide. Madison Area Technical College is joining over 300 colleges nationwide in the use of a real time notification system for students and staff. This system will instantly send a text message to the users cell phone or email account, if an emergency should arise.

The e2 Emergency system being used by MATC is a user-controlled account. Once a user goes through the two-minute registration, available online, he will have instant access to information being sent out to members of the campus network.

The information sent out is only "things that need to get out to students quickly," says James Bottoni, Chief of Security at MATC. Bottoni went on to say that "this is an account you maintain which you can opt out at any time." The account is controlled strictly by the user. The user controls where the message is sent, either to a cell-phone or up to three e-mail accounts. The user options can be changed at any time. These options include the ability to decide when the user would like their account to be terminated. User information will be deleted when the user terminates the account.

To become a user of the e2 Emergency notification system, known as the "Wolfpack Alert," a person must log into their Inside MATC account and click on the Wolfpack Alert link. Once a member signs up they will receive either an instant text message or e-mail with a four digit validation code to be entered onto the registration page.

Bottoni noted that users must be aware of their cell phone signal, as the text may not get received immediately if the phone is out of network service. Once registration is complete, users will quickly receive conformation that the account has been activated.

MATC went live on Feb. 23 after weeks of testing. The program is fully functional and has experienced no failures. More than 400 people have signed up and the goal of the security department is to have over 1000 users by the end of spring break. There are already two other districts using the system in Wisconsin. The future goal of the program is to get linked with Dane County weather alerts, all controlled through the same account.

Issues arise with little warning. Using the e2 Emergency Wolfpack Alert system could get people important information faster than ever before. It is free, easy and may provide valuable notifications to users faster than ever before.