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Developing the Right Alert Notification Strategy
6/11/2008
These files contain the daily changes to personnel and student records, to ensure the institution has the right contact information on file to notify recipients properly. Simply, it is not effective to have the right message delivered at the right time to the wrong number or the wrong person. Additionally, a notification system must have redundant capabilities in all power interconnects. Much like institutional computer systems that have multiple clean power sources and required backups, vendors must ensure their mass notification servers are similarly equipped whether it be their own hardware or infrastructure accessed through a service level agreement (SLA). For those institutions that choose to host their own servers, the same principles apply.It is vital that a vendor provide an institution with 24/7 client care. The support relationship between the institution and the vendor should be constructed contractually to include training, customer service, and technical assistance. It should not be assumed that users can operate the system properly without instruction. While the interface should be straightforward and user friendly, various means and methods of support for system users should exist, especially for the initiators of the message and those responsible for managing data file uploads.
Just after the tragedy at Virginia Tech, the number of mass notification vendors seemed to grow exponentially in a matter of hours. Those looking for a system that is a good fit for their campus should select vendors that have significant experience disseminating timely alerts at institutions of various sizes across the country. A reputable vendor will be able to demonstrate its experience and provide ample references. For example, MIR3, a global leader in mass notification solutions, works with more than 150 universities across the country including the University of Vermont, MIT, the University of California-San Diego, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Alabama, and the University of Michigan.
An alert notification service should also have an assessment tool that reports on the system's effectiveness. A university should be able to see how many messages were delivered, in what time, and to what devices. Two-way messaging is also an important aspect of an alert system, enabling students, staff, and instructors to receive messages and respond, letting emergency personnel know if they need assistance.
Lastly, campus public safety officials and other appropriate administrators should have the authority and capability to send emergency messages from on and off campus, or from any location around the world. In today's advanced technology environment, communication should not be hampered because the appropriate person is not physically on campus to initiate a message. Campus administrators should consider the following criteria before sending emergency messages: (1) the message should be timely, (2) the information must be accurate, and (3) the notice must be useful to the recipients. Recipients of emergency messages should also be urged to inform others.
When establishing a campuses' urgent notification strategy it is important to consider the capabilities outlined above. Having the right system in place will keep students, staff, and faculty aware of important information in a quick and efficient manner.
Gary J. Margolis is the Chief of Police at the University of Vermont.
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