Class of 2016 to be automatically enrolled in VCU’s text alert system

Vernon Freeman Jr.
Contributing Writer

Starting this fall, VCU’s alert text messaging system will become a system incoming freshman are automatically enrolled in. Any students who don’t wish to receive the alerts will have to opt out if they don’t want the service.

The text messaging system sends students, faculty and staff “timely alerts,” for crimes on or near campus and “emergency alerts,” for severe cases and to recommend students go or stay indoors, like Monday’s tornado warning

“If we have something on the core campus that’s life threatening, active and imminent, and require immediate action for people on campus and fits into the Clery crimes, we’re going to activate the alerting system,” VCU Police Capt. Mike O’Berry said.

Over the past five years, VCU has joined other colleges and universities across the nation in implementing systems to improve school safety and warn students if something urgent happens on campus.

VCU’s director of emergency preparedness, Adam Crowe, said the improvements followed the massacre at Virginia Tech in which a student killed 32 other people before committing suicide.

“After the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007, there was obviously a greater emphasis in doing the public a service in the VCU community by improving their awareness, but also having to comply with certain legal standards like the Clery Act that require universities to notify those in the community for certain activities, including crimes and emergency situations,” Crowe said.

The Clery Act is a 1990 federal law mandating that colleges and universities publicly disclose information about campus crimes. A nonprofit organization called the Clery Center for Security on Campus oversees compliance with the law.

Abigail Boyer, the center’s assistant director of communications, said the Tech shootings took everyone by surprise. “Certainly no one could anticipate a tragedy like that.”

She said her group and school officials nationwide know that students, faculty and staff deserve to be notified if an occurrence on campus puts them at risk.

“What we are seeing across the United States are campuses that are really taking a holistic approach to campus safety,” Boyer said. “They have a variety of methods and means of communicating with individuals on campus if something occurs.”

Under the Clery Act, schools must notify students when certain kinds of crimes occur or are attempted. Those crimes include murder, sex offenses, robbery and aggravated assault.

Clery offenses also can include burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson.

“If there is a pattern that has developed, then you send out a timely warning on stuff like burglary and motor vehicle theft,” O’Berry said.

Unlike many universities, VCU has two campuses: the Monroe Park Campus bordering the Fan District, and MCV in downtown Richmond. Crowe believes this presents “a very unique challenge.”

It’s difficult to separate on-campus crimes from crimes that happen just off campus or on streets and other public areas that traverse VCU property. For VCU police and students, any offenses on or near campus are a concern – even if they fall under the jurisdiction of the Richmond Police Department.

Even in situations off campus, O’Berry said alerts are still available.

“If we have one of these instances occur close to the core campus in our jurisdiction, maybe a block out, what we would do is we would put that information on the alert Web page,” he said.

“While it is an urban environment, VCU is a relatively safe place to live, work and study,” O’Berry said. “We have a pretty comprehensive crime prevention program. We funnel a lot of information out on how to stay safe on campus.”