UT Dallas is distributing door hangtags and magnets across campus with information to help faculty, staff and students stay connected in an emergency, when traditional communications systems can be overwhelmed.
The hangtags, which provide links to alternative communication channels, will be distributed to the campus community in offices, departments, classrooms, labs, meeting spaces and housing. Students who reside off campus can request a hangtag and magnet at the information desk of the Student Services Building or from the Comer Center in the Student Union.
While the UT Dallas homepage is always the most authoritative source of information, President David E. Daniel said other communication channels are needed because emergency situations — including weather closures, accidents and potential for threats on campus – can render the homepage inaccessible.
“While we cannot promise that we’ll never have to cope with an emergency, we can prepare to do our best if one occurs,” said Daniel. “I am encouraging all faculty, staff and students to take time to familiarize themselves with these communication channels that we have set up.”
The campus community is encouraged stay connected by doing the following:
- Sign up for UT Dallas text message alerts.
- Add the University’s status hotline number to your mobile phone: 972-883-7669. This number is often used to post weather-related closings and would be used as well if there were information for the campus regarding an emergency situation.
- Bookmark the University’s alternative homepage, which will have important emergency information should traffic overwhelm the official homepage.
- The UT Dallas Facebook page is a good secondary source of information if the homepage is not accessible.
- The University’s official Twitter account has also been of service in emergencies. You can follow that account at @UT_Dallas, and it is viewable even without logging into Twitter.
Faculty, staff and students also are encouraged to help ease the communication process in an emergency situation by doing the following:
- Call or text your family and loved ones to let them know you are OK.
- Conserve your phone’s power (and reduce traffic on the homepage) by relying on text alerts for information.
- Share official information. Don’t spread unconfirmed hearsay.
- Follow directions issued by campus safety personnel.
- Call the police only to report information, not to ask questions.
“Following this advice and becoming familiar with these tools will prepare us to maintain clear communication in times of emergency,” Dr. Daniel said. “This is information I hope we will rarely, if ever, need to use, but that I believe we all should have.”
For more information, or to order more hang tags after the initial distribution is completed, email emergency coordinator Calvin Brown at calvin.brown@utdallas.edu or call 972-883-2420.