Pr. George’s Community College to have text-alert system by early fall

LARGO, Md. (Map, News) - A text-message-based emergency alert system in Prince George’s Community College should be in place for students come “early fall,” a school official said this week.

Just weeks after the Virginia Tech shootings April 16, then-community college President Ronald Williams said the school would be “moving quickly” on implementing the system.

“The delay has simply been to figure out what is the best solution for us,” said Joseph Rossmeier, vice president for technology services at the college.

Community colleges statewide are realizing the advantages of such an alert system.

Anne Arundel Community College was the first to try it two years ago, with a $12,000 E2 Campus system that sends alerts for emergencies, sports scores, and registration and payment deadlines.

“One of the most accessible vehicles to communicate to today’s students, and everyone, is a cell phone,” college spokeswoman Linda Schulte said. “Especially in an emergency, such as a hurricane, where land lines are down.”

Some colleges opt for a system that sends only emergency responses, including Harford Community College’s Schoolsout.com program, which alerts students for school closings or security reasons, Harford College spokeswoman Nancy Dysard said.

Carroll Community College is evaluating several emergency-only alert systems and plans to implement one as early as this fall, said Alan Shuman, the college’s vice president of administration.

Catonsville and Howard community colleges could not be reached for comment.

PGCC Police Chief Larry Walker said the school uses e-mail, telephone and voicemail for notification, but the “system wasn’t adequate.”

Before settling on a third-party operating system, PGCC considered running its own system on campus and requiring all employees and students to subscribe to the service, Rossmeier said.

“If the power goes out on the campus or we have to vacate the campus for any number of reasons whereby our own computer center isn’t available, then [a PGCC-operated] solution isn’t very good,” he said.

dfowler@dcexaminer.com

cpeirce@baltimoreexaminer.com

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