St. Francis Xavier University is enhancing its online notification system with hopes of reaching staff and students more quickly during times of emergencies.
The system will upgrade its already available Facebook, Twitter and email alert system.
Andrew Beckett, vice-president of finance and administration at the university, says the school isn’t presupposing what the emergencies will be.
“We're not trying to raise concerns that there are imminent dangers of any sort,” said Beckett. “This is just part of our standard practices to try and make sure on an ongoing basis for improving our options that are available to us for notifying students and faculty and staff.”
Students can register by providing their contact information from other platforms, such as phone numbers and personal email accounts.
Beckett says the information will not be shared and contact will only happen during serious events, such as campus closures or possible dangerous situations
“It's a priority from our standpoint in terms of improving our emergency notification processes, really around the safety and well-being of our faculty, staff, students,” said Beckett.
Student Jimmy Wright says he likes the idea.
“I love the fact that they're actually becoming more involved with the way students actually are incorporated with the university,” said Wright.
Beckett says the new emergency alert system will not replace the current one, but rather it will cast a wider communication network in times of an emergency.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Dan MacIntosh
