IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT

Dear Parents:

I am writing to inform you that Assumption College has an agreement in place with an Emergency Notification provider named ALERTNOW.  Their system gives the College the option of communicating relatively quickly to students and their parents in the event of an emergency on campus.

How it Works:

Undergraduate Day Students:  During a campus emergency, the College’s administration can send text messages to all undergraduate residential and commuter students who have cell phones and who have registered their cell phone numbers with the College Registrar’s Office.  In the message we will inform students about the emergency and what we would like them to do, for example, “Seek shelter. There is a tornado in the area.”

We have been informed by providers that bulk text messaging is usually the most reliable form of cell phone communication in an emergency situation, and we know from experience that text messaging is the preferred communication method among students.

Parents:  Using the telephone numbers on file at the College Registrar’s Office, the College has the capability, through ALERTNOW, to send a voice message to parents during an emergency or impending emergency.

What parents need to know about receiving messages sent through ALERTNOW

• Messages will ordinarily be sent out ­only in the event of a campus emergency.
• Your contact telephone numbers must be a direct line (no extensions).
• Your Caller ID will display 411.  It will not display “Assumption College.”
• Once the phone has been answered by you or by an answering machine, there will be a 2 or 3 second delay.  Please stay on the line.  The system requires a few seconds of silence to detect whether someone has picked up the phone or if the call will activate an answering machine.
• If you do not answer the phone, the ALERTNOW system should leave a message on your answering machine or on your voicemail system.  If you use an answering machine, please set the answering machine to five (5) rings or fewer.  It will not work if it is set to 6 rings.
• If you have a device such as a Telemarketer Zapper or Privacy Director on your telephone line, you may not receive the call.
• If the ALERTNOW message stops playing, press any key 1 - 9 and the message will replay from the beginning.

 The successful delivery of emergency information is dependent upon accurate information for each contact.  The current information we have on file has been taken from your student’s admission application form.  Please contact the College at the following email address if you have changed your number: registrar@assumption.edu.

Regards,

Brad Holmes

Director of Public Safety