MU to Test Emergency Notification System

Those registered on the network can expect an email and/or a text message on Thursday

July 25th, 2013

COLUMBIA, Mo. — At 8:50 a.m., Thursday, July 25, University of Missouri students, faculty and staff who have registered their cell phone numbers with the University’s mass notification system will receive two test text messages. The text message is part of a regular test of the system by University officials. Students, faculty and staff also will receive a mass email on their university email accounts with the same message.

1.    The first message will be sent via text, Twitter and Facebook at 8:50 a.m., Thursday, July 25.
Anyone who has opted into the MU Alert text message system should receive the following message:

SUBJ:     MU Alert test message
MSG:     This is only a test. Thank you for opting into MU Alert. If this were a real emergency, you would go to http://mualert.missouri.edu.

Individuals can sign up for the notification system by visiting http://mualert.missouri.edu/whatToDo/text-alert-sign-up.php

Subscribers are encouraged to add both MU Alert text numbers “23177” and “63079” to their contacts in their cell phones, so they will know the text message is from a trusted source.

Individuals following MU on Twitter or those who “like” the MU Facebook page should see the following message:

“This is a test of the MU Alert program. If this were a real emergency, you would go to http://mualert.missouri.edu for more information.”

2.    The second message will be sent directly from the new mass notification system provider, Blackboard Connect, at 8:55 a.m., Thursday, July 25. There is a possibility that individuals will receive this message first. The message will be:

“MU Alert: You are now confirmed to receive alerts from us. More info text reply “HELP” or “STOP Mizzou” to opt-out.”

MU officials strongly encourage individuals to not opt out. Individuals opting out will no longer receive MU Alert text messages in the event of a campus emergency.

University officials expect to test the system periodically.