Contacting Students in the Event of a Crisis

Following the shooting tragedies at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, as well as other incidents of human and natural made disaster, parents have begun to rightly ask, “How will my student be informed if there is a crisis on campus?”

EMU’s Crisis Management Preparedness Team has joined all other colleges across the country in assessing crisis communication protocol. This has included reviewing dozens of offers by vendors for electronic and other means of communication.

EMU is a relatively small campus. This has informed our choices and decision making process. First and foremost, EMU works to build relationships with each student, so that any student in crisis is provided with a supportive environment.

Communication Plan

In the event that we need to get a message to all of our student body, we will immediately convene our crisis management team to assess the situation, prepare communications for parents and lead the campus during the crisis. This includes a plan to immediately implement one or more of the following:

• Post a critical information alert on our campus website (www.emu.edu/emergency)

• Send an e-mail to everyone on campus pointing them to our website for updates

• a LAN (local area network) alert system will deliver a message to every powered computer connected to the EMU network (in effect by July 2008)

• Publish a web page of parent-specific emergency information and utilize a parents listserv for quick e-mail notification

• Have residence life staff meet with and account for their students on campus

• Notify local radio and TV stations via a news release

In addition, by July 2008, we will be able to send text message alerts to those who have signed up for this service through an e2campus plan.

We are also reviewing rapid direct communication options through a radio signal warning speaker system and bell/alarm.

Building Access and Evacuation Plans

In the event that we need to evacuate a building, our building “wardens” will institute their evacuation plans. Should a situation call for building lock down, these same wardens will institute their agreed-upon plan for keeping people safe inside their building.

Finally, note that we limit access to all residence halls and classroom buildings outside normal class times. By fall 2008 we will implement ID-card access systems for our residence halls.

EMU Crisis Management Preparedness Team,
Ken L. Nafziger, Vice President for Student Life, chair