Orientation Edition 2008 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Getting the message across 15 M hen Cho Seung-Hui shot and killed two stu- dents in a Virginia tech dorm on the morning of April 16, my friend was asleep in the adjoining build- ing. It wasn't until he was between classes on campus a few EMMARIE hours later that HUETTEMAN he learned about the shooting - via text message, from a friend off-campus. While Virginia Tech used e-mail alerts before, it began requiring that students register cell phones with the urgent notification system in order to register for classes after the shooting last summer. It also uses other ways to notify students, like instant messaging, and even offers alerts for parents. This takes the extra burden off the school's website, which crashed on April 16 due to unusually high usage. Just under a year later, we finally have our own system. The Univer- sity of Michigan launched its new emergency alert system Monday, which allows students to receive text message alerts and voice mes- sages on up to two phones. How- ever, unlike Virginia Tech, the University of Michigan will let students choose whether or not to enroll in the system. What a way to kill a promising program. The Daytona Beach News-Jour- nal reported Monday that colleges nationwide are strugglingto garner student participation in cell phone alert programs. While ITfacts, an online data compiler, reported last year that 90 percent of students carry cell phones, the companies that provide these alert systems report low enrollment. Unfortunately, the University of Michigan is only lessening the sys- tem's chances for success by mak- ing enrollment more difficult than it needs to be. The e-mail encour- aging students to register offered a supposedly helpful link to Wol- verine Access. From there, the Uni- versity expects students to notice the small announcement in the left-hand side of the page, directing them to "Student Business." They then must log in to the website and find the new "Phone and UM Emer- gency Alert Numbers" option, bur- ied in the middle of the "Personal Information" links. If students haven't given up by that point, they then must figure out what to choose for "Phone Type." Is a cell phone "Mobile," "UM Alert Text Message" or whatever "Cur- rent Address Voice" means? "Tele- phone" seems like an easy prompt - until you use parentheses for the area code and end up with an ambiguous error message. Let's be honest: Students are generally lazy. If it won't affect our grade, we tend to drag our feet - if we participate. By failing to simplify the form and burying it in Wolverine Access, the University basically ensured low enrollment. But the University's biggest blun- der may be its willingness to bow to student opposition. Because stu- dents are concerned about receiv- ing too many alerts, the University has promised to use the system only in the event of a major hazardous chemical spill, a tornado warning or a shooter loose on campus. Of course, only certain shootings qua= ify. The: near Nor manhun made th ment of woman 7 Fail aler T The t students spam th I'm usu. freedom ple from When Tech'sr also aler lations my frien only con importa "If as dent tha somethi to camp shooting of a home intruder And as he aptly noted, the most rth Campus and subsequent important response tocthectragedy is t in January wouldn't have "taking the necessary steps to move e cut, according to Depart- forward and prepare the campus f Public Security spokes- for, God forbid, future incidents." Diane Brown. The University has a responsi- bility to promote campus safety, no matterhowinconvenientitseemsto ing to require students. By making participation , , in this innovative alert system vol- ts is failing to untary and unnecessarily complex, ithas ensuredthat the programwill )roteCt US. be ineffectivebefore it even gets off the ground. Requiring subscription to voice or text alerts isn't a huge Jniversity knows that some leap considering that the e-mail are more worried about notification system was compul- an campus security. While sory. Furthermore, with all of the ally a champion of student resources and qualified individuals , today I'm pro saving peo- the University has at its disposal, :their own ignorance. this system should be too easy not asked about Virginia to use, especially because the price notification system, which for not using it is too great. its students to class cancel- My friend agreed, commenting and weather emergencies, that he thought most universities d spoke with a wisdom that would make this emergency notifi- nes from seeing the system's cation system mandatory. nce first-hand. "They almost have to," he added, nything, I feel more confi- "because you never know." t I will be informed about ng important before I come us or in due time," he said. This column originally ran on Mar.12, 2008. Pierpont Commons Bookstore Pierpont Commons (North Campus) (743) 668-6022 Barnes & Noble at the University of Michigan 530 S. State Street phone# 734.995.8877 www.umichigan.bncollege.com bksumichiganunion @bncollege.com Here's how... Buy used textbooks Used textbooks save you 25% Order Your Textbooks Online Today www.whywaitforbooks.com Reserve now Reserve your textbooks in advance for the best selection of used books Sell at buyback Get money back for your books at buyback Support your school A portion of your bookstore purchase goes w A# ukap d ' j.-4 41t. 4b1'ยง$ 4.