All students, faculty and staff at the University will be automatically enrolled in the U.Va. Alerts text messaging system starting this weekend. The update was announced via an email to the University community from J.J. Davis, executive vice president and chief operating officer, and Timothy Longo, associate vice president for safety and security and University chief of police. Previously, individuals were automatically enrolled in the alert system by email, not phone number.
U.Va. Alerts are shared to the University community through texts, emails and social media, in addition to being displayed on information screens located around Grounds in buildings such as libraries and Newcomb Hall. These alerts are meant to provide real time updates when there is an imminent threat that may require community members to take action in order to stay safe.
The phone number supplied by students during orientation or by faculty and staff during onboarding will be enrolled in the alert system. Moving forward, all incoming students and new faculty and staff will be automatically enrolled in the text messaging system. Parents and community members are able to opt-in to the alerts.
U.Va. Alerts differ from community alerts, which are shared via email to the University community when there is timely information about a threat that can be released to the community without compromising any ongoing investigations.
Anyone enrolled in the text messaging service will be able to opt-out by texting “STOP” in response to the alert. A test run of the new system will occur on June 6 at 10:50 a.m. and anyone with an enrolled phone number can expect to receive a text message.
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