Recently, over 10,000 members of the Oakland University community received a test of OU’s text message alert system. This alert system is designed to notify students, staff and faculty of any safety threats on campus.

“Information may be sent notifying the community that the university is in lock-down or an evacuation has been ordered,” Capt. Mark Gordon of the OU Police said.

In addition, the university will send out alerts if classes are cancelled or if the entire campus is closed for inclement weather.

“The emergency notification system will never be used as a means for advertising or marketing,” Gordon said.

The system also allows for students and staff to opt-in to voice message notifications, which were also recently tested.

Other than for testing purposes, the emergency notification system hasn’t been used since March 2009.

“We used the system to advise the community of a bomb threat that had been received in O’Dowd Hall and the Oakland Center,” Gordon said.

Freshman Candice Novinski, an undecided major, said the text message alert system gives her peace of mind.

“I’m glad we have it,” Novinski said. “It makes it a safer campus and shows that OU cares about their students.”

Gordon also feels the system is a crucial part of campus safety.

“It is one of the several notification options that OU uses to advise the community during an emergency,” Gordon said.

Sophomore R.J. Fischer, a computer information technology major, doesn’t feel that the system is useful.

“It doesn’t do anything for me,” he said. “I’ve never seen anything come out of it. I’ve never had anything beside test alerts.”

Freshman and undecided major Steve Van Nada isn’t signed up for the alerts, because he feels there are other ways to find out that information.

“I don’t feel a need for it in my life,” Van Nada said. “I think that (if) anything big that happens, I’ll find out anyway, either on Facebook or just through word of mouth.”

The system is run through the Everbridge Emergency Notification System, which had 10,431 registered users as of Nov. 14.

“During an emergency, community members may be required to act to ensure their safety such as a lock down order or campus evacuation, Gordon said.

At other times, community members may need to avoid a certain area of campus where an emergency is occurring. The text messaging system is a primary method used to advise community members of such emergencies.”

For more information about OU’s emergency text message alert system, visit oakland.edu/prepared