It’s a miserably cold winter morning, and the streets of Dayton are buried in snow.
For students at Sinclair Community College, all of which are commuters, an early warning about canceled classes can prevent dangerous driving and wasted time.
Warnings about weather closings and school emergencies can now be received directly by text message or email, often before the same information is released on television or the radio.
“The news media usually has their stuff updated, but we’re able to provide quicker and better information,” says Ed Vander Bush, manager of marketing services at Sinclair.
The text alert system was initially launched last year, but upgrades from the service provider (Nexil) have inspired the school to relaunch the program in 2012. Students who signed up for the service last year will automatically have their registration carried over to the new program.
“It’s not just about weather closings,” says Vander Bush, “It’s about any kind of emergency we have on campus, it’s another way for us to get in touch with our students, faculty, staff, and get the best information out.”
The decision to send out an alert is coordinated by a number of different departments, including Marketing, the Police Department, Facilities Management, and the President’s Office. The system is strictly reserved for emergency situations and urgent information. Last year, only one or two alerts were issued.
“It’s something we take very seriously, and there’s a lot of people involved across campus,” says Vander Bush.
The new service lets students opt in for warnings about certain Sinclair campuses based on where they attend classes. Students can also now sign up quickly and easily for all text alerts by sending the word SINCLAIR to 888777.
Although the school’s alert service itself is free, students should be aware of any fees their cell phone service providers may charge to receive texts under their individual plans.
Similar text warning services has been successfully implemented at many local schools, municipalities, and even fire departments, and the company is very experienced working with large public organizations, according to Vander Bush.
Vander Bush hopes that all students who are able will sign up for the service. “Not everyone’s running around with a mobile device,” he says. “A lot of people are, though… it’s a great way to get information.”
More information can be found at sinclair.edu/alerts.