Spring Break
Few students have opted for text alerts
Issue date: 11/15/07
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Less than one-third of the student body has registered for the text message emergency alert system established at start of the school year.
The Johns Hopkins Emergency Alert (JHEA) system is one of many text message alert systems instituted on campuses across the country following the shooting at Virginia Tech last April.
"The best case scenario that we want to work towards is to get everyone signed up; however, in the real world 100 percent is not realistic," said Edmund Skrodzki, executive director of Safety and Security.
Security sent e-mail notifications to inform students, faculty, staff and parents of the system.
Since then, security has been working closely with the deans, administrators and the office of Communications and Public Affairs to raise awareness of the system, Skrodzki said.
"Presently, we're working with the Student Council leadership to encourage greater student participation, and distributing fliers at our bi-monthly Campus Security meet-and-greet sessions," Skrodzki said.
Despite efforts to raise awareness on the program, students remain unaware of how to register.
"The difficulty the deans are having is identifying the best way to get information to students," said Susan Boswell, dean of students.
"It's definitely worth signing up for but I just don't know how to," Nathan Kirkpatrick, a freshman major in biophysics, said.
"If we were all e-mailed the link again, I'd definitely sign up."
Molly Ronan, a sophomore classics major, echoed the sentiment.
"I don't know how to sign up," she said.
"I don't know if I have enough motivation to search the Web site and find where to sign up."
"Many students have said they do not know about it," Boswell said.
"No one expressed a particular concern about signing up once they were aware of it."
Mary Ellen Pozo, a senior biomolecular engineering major, signed up after the initial e-mail notification.
The Johns Hopkins Emergency Alert (JHEA) system is one of many text message alert systems instituted on campuses across the country following the shooting at Virginia Tech last April.
"The best case scenario that we want to work towards is to get everyone signed up; however, in the real world 100 percent is not realistic," said Edmund Skrodzki, executive director of Safety and Security.
Security sent e-mail notifications to inform students, faculty, staff and parents of the system.
Since then, security has been working closely with the deans, administrators and the office of Communications and Public Affairs to raise awareness of the system, Skrodzki said.
"Presently, we're working with the Student Council leadership to encourage greater student participation, and distributing fliers at our bi-monthly Campus Security meet-and-greet sessions," Skrodzki said.
Despite efforts to raise awareness on the program, students remain unaware of how to register.
"The difficulty the deans are having is identifying the best way to get information to students," said Susan Boswell, dean of students.
"It's definitely worth signing up for but I just don't know how to," Nathan Kirkpatrick, a freshman major in biophysics, said.
"If we were all e-mailed the link again, I'd definitely sign up."
Molly Ronan, a sophomore classics major, echoed the sentiment.
"I don't know how to sign up," she said.
"I don't know if I have enough motivation to search the Web site and find where to sign up."
"Many students have said they do not know about it," Boswell said.
"No one expressed a particular concern about signing up once they were aware of it."
Mary Ellen Pozo, a senior biomolecular engineering major, signed up after the initial e-mail notification.
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