Monash SMS alert system in place
13 August 2008
Monash University is one of the first Universities in Australia to implement an SMS campus alert system.
The system allows the university to quickly provide urgent information to participating staff and students on Australian campuses via bulk automated SMS messages to pre-nominated mobile phones.
Alert messages will be sent when essential services are disrupted, campus access becomes restricted or in other cases of disruption or emergency. Short messages can be sent to thousands of mobile phones in a matter of seconds.
Vice President (Administration) Peter Marshall said Monash was using the latest technology to pass on vital safety information to staff and students quickly when it was needed most.
"Monash University is the largest university in Australia, with more than 7000 staff and 55,000 students working and studying on six campuses in and around Melbourne," Mr Marshall said.
"We've invested in this service because we think it is vital to communicate safety information quickly and efficiently to this large and geographically diverse community."
"We hope the Monash safety text alert system will give increased peace of mind to those staff and students who elect to participate in the system."
Mr Marshall said to be part of the alert service staff and students must register their mobile phone number via a secure and confidential on-line site.
"Staff and students signed up for the service will then receive a short text message to their nominated mobile phone when needed," Mr Marshall said.
"Recipients will receive an almost-immediate initial alert which will pass on vital information and refer them to the Monash University website where they can then receive more detailed information," Mr Marshall said.
"The website will then act as a primary source of information as it can be regularly updated as further news comes to hand."
"All messages will be clearly identified as being from Monash University, to ensure the integrity of information transmitted by SMS."
The alert system is currently only in place for Monash University's Australian campuses.
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