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3.7.16 Emergency Notification Policy

Policy:  Participation in the University's electronic Emergency Notification System is mandatory for students and for all individuals with wireless communication devices paid for in whole or part by the University.

Note that the line above is University Institutional Policy and that what follows is University Operational Policy. Both were approved by the Information Strategy and Policy Committee (ISPC on 12/17/07).

Policy Overview:

In the wake of the Virginia Tech shootings, most colleges and universities reviewed their plans for emergency notification. OIT working with Public Safety and the Pacific Alert Team and with the help of Student Life, have implemented an electronic Emergency Notification System available for all current faculty, staff, students and other authorized members of the Pacific Community. All students must participate. Because participation heightens personal safety and the safety of others in the community by providing early communication and information about campus crises and emergencies, all faculty and staff are strongly recommended to participate. Some individuals holding positions of responsibility at Pacific, such as Student Life staff, may be required to participate as are individuals whose phones are sponsored in whole or part by the University. Employees are encouraged to enter both their mobile phone numbers and their home phone numbers so that they may be made aware of campus situations even when they are off campus.

It is not the intent of this policy to suggest that this is the only means of emergency notification to be used by the University. Participation does not constitute any form of guarantee of safety.

Operational Overview:

  1. Pacific's Electronic Emergency Notification System has two parts. The first part is the actual Notification Message Service. This is provided by a well respected company that is used by many universities. In an emergency, all numbers and email addresses provided are sent the notification.
  2. The second part of the system is provided by OIT and is used to gather and maintain the contact information. All users with Pacific Net IDs can provide/update their contact information through insidePacific. This method enables participants to update their information, which they will need to do periodically to keep the system current.
  3. Compliance with this policy will be assessed at key verification points in University business processes (indicated below) as necessary to maximize participation.
  4. The University will not supply communication devices solely to meet any aspect of this policy. However, if the University pays, in whole or in part, for a person's cell phone, they must participate in this system as defined below.
  5. OIT, working with Public Safety, will add certain key buildings/individuals to the automated system using campus exchange numbers. These individuals will be responsible for notifying others as appropriate and directed.

Privacy:

Pacific respects the privacy of its community members. The information gathered for this Emergency Notification System is confidential, collected under its own dedicated Privacy Statement Addendum, and is not shared with other applications or systems. See also Pacific's Master Privacy Statement.

Participation Defined:

To participate, individuals must supply a primary contact number. Specifically, it is university policy that students who carry mobile phones and other community members who are provided with University paid mobile phones or are reimbursed in whole or in part for mobile phone charges, must register them with this system as the primary contact number. International numbers are not allowed, but toll based numbers are permitted. Due to inbound trunking limitations on each campus, the respective campus exchange numbers are not allowed (946, 739, 929, etc.). Those individuals without mobile phones will need to register, in good faith, the next best alternate phone number (home, spouse, parent, etc.) and rely on email and/or other notification means as available. Pacific email addresses are pre-populated and users can provide an alternate email address. Users of University supplied cell phones will automatically be enrolled as participants.

Note that while participation is optional for non-students with privately funded communication devices, it is highly encouraged. Some employees in key positions may be required to participate as a condition of employment. All participants must keep their information current and accurate.

Verification:

  1. Verify their input. After supplying (or reviewing) their information, self-enrolling participants must programmatically agree to the following statement:
    • The information I have provided above is correct to the best of my knowledge. If I carry a wireless communications device, I have provided its number as the primary contact. I understand that failing to keep this information current and accurate puts me at additional risk of not being notified in an emergency. I agree that the University of the Pacific can release the information I have provided to the Notification Message Service in accordance with the University's Privacy Policy for the sole purpose of providing this service. I understand that this notification system is no guarantee of security.
  2. The system will keep the date of last verification. No verification date can be more than 180 days old for staff or one term old for students. Older dates will be blanked, that is, the information set to un-verified. The next time a compliance assessment step is encountered, re-verification will be required before one can proceed.
  3. The system will be tested periodically. If it succeeds in contacting a participant, by phone, it will reset their verified date to the date of the test. If the participant cannot be reached, OIT will blank the verified date and send them an email. In theory, if a participant gives accurate information, maintains it and is able to be contacted, they will not be needlessly impeded by compliance assessment steps. If not, the email will read:
    • Pacific's Emergency Notification System failed to contact you in its most recent test. This could occur for any number of reasons. However, to ensure that the system has your current information, you are asked to re-verify its accuracy. University policy requires this information to be current and accurate. Please do so immediately by logging on to PacificNet or  insidePacific and following the instructions. Thanks for your help in keeping the campus safe.
                                             -Public Safety

Compliance:

  1. If a user mandated to participate in the Emergency Notification System under this policy is not participating or a participant is out of compliance, they may be prevented from proceeding from login to PacificNet and/or proceeding from login to insidePacific.
  2. Supplying false or inappropriate contact information may be grounds for disciplinary action.

Termination:

Participation in the Emergency Notification System will automatically terminate for students no less than 90 days after graduation or loss of student status. After graduation or loss of student status, former students may manually opt out of the Pacific Connect through insidePacific if early termination is desired. Participation in the Emergency Notification System for Pacific employees (faculty and staff) will terminate on the day after their employment termination. Other participants, if any, may terminate participation in the Emergency Notification System at any time by blanking out their information in insidePacific.

Other Requirements:

  1. Offices may require mobile phones be set to vibrate, but may not require them to be turned off.