OU to extend emergency text messaging campuswide

Oakland University has long used text message alerts to notify students, faculty and staff of emergency situations on campus as quickly as possible. The system in place allows users to have text messages sent to their mobile devices, as well as voice messages sent to their cell phones and/or landlines.

Effective on Wednesday, August 30, 2023, the university will transition from an opt-in registration process for this system to a default, opt-out registration process.

While campus community members previously needed to complete an online form to receive emergency text alerts, all will be automatically registered to receive them moving forward. The university will use contact information currently on file for this purpose.

Individuals who wish to receive emergency voice messages in addition to text messages and who are not currently registered to do so can register via the recently updated online form. Employees who do not have a mobile phone number on file or who need to update contact information on file should also complete this form.

Finally, those who wish to opt out of receiving emergency text message alerts can use the online form to remove any mobile device numbers listed. The university strongly discourages this, however, given the potentially life-saving benefits of prompt notification and the narrow set of circumstances in which this system is used.

Situations in which the university sends emergency text message alerts are strictly limited to:

Emergency text messaging is Oakland’s primary and most efficient means of protecting campus community members from imminent harm. Whether electively or automatically submitted, the contact information used by the emergency text messaging system will not be shared or used for any other purpose.

For complete information regarding emergency preparedness on the Oakland University campus, visit the OUPD Emergency Management web section.